Just Her Luck
by ACE732
Summary: Revenge is a dish best served cold, but when that dish is hot, Rory's in trouble. Completely AU. Sophies
1. Prologue

**A/N: This is a new story that I have been working on. Yes, another one! Don't worry though, I'm almost finished writing ISWAK chapter 8 and I have started writing WIMTB chapter 8 also. So, I should get them done hopefully this weekend. But in the meantime, I'm posting this basically just to gauge whether I should even attempt to continue it. So please read and tell me if I should keep going with this idea. Thanks. This story is completely AU. Rory and Logan never met at Yale. Rory is around about 26 years old and Logan works for his father. I'll fill in the rest of the details in the next chapter, if you want me to carry on that is. **

**Thanks for helping me out as always, Megan. I don't own anything.**

Just Her Luck! 

Prologue 

Rory removed her glasses and rubbed her eyes. She had been staring at the computer screen for the last three hours. Her eyes were tired, her body ached, and she was pretty sure she would be capable of doing a good Quasimodo impression, what with the hunchback she had now developed. She had been up since six a.m. that morning and was desperate to finish her article in time for the deadline. 

Breathing out heavily, she rolled her head back, trying to work out the kinks and slouched back on her chair. She needed to take a break. 

Rory pushed out her chair and headed towards the kitchen in the open planned apartment. She searched through the cupboard looking for her coffee mug - Caitlin would kill her if she used hers again. Finding the 'Hello Kitty' mug her mother had bought her, she filled the coffee pot with water and stood waiting for her beloved coffee to brew. 

Leaning against the counter, she rubbed the back of her neck and shut her eyes feeling the pull of sleep trying to overcome her. Sleep; that was not something she had had much experience of lately. However, it was something which she was in desperate need of. 

Her life over these last few weeks had been pretty hectic since gettinga job at 'The Herald.' It was a big deal. It was a great paper and she felt there would be far more opportunities to advance her career there. However, it required a lot of hard work, and she was exhausted already. 

Feeling her eyelids droop, Rory quickly poured herself some coffee and downed it in record time while ignoring the burning sensation as the liquid trickled down her throat. She needed another caffeine boost quickly if she was going to get her work done. 

She finished the first cup and then poured herself another one. She then made her way back into the living room and sat at her desk again. She placed the cup down and reached for her glasses as she began rereading what she had already written. 

Frowning as she went over the last paragraph, her middle finger found its way to the delete key on the keyboard and pressed down hard, deleting her work so far. 

She groaned and then squealed as the door to her roommate's bedroom opened and a tall, blonde, shirtless man entered the room. He definitely wasn't her roommate, Caitlin. In fact, Rory was pretty sure she had never seen him before, which when living with Caitlin, that wasn't entirely unheard of. She had a tendency to bring home a different guy every night or at least every other night. The blonde was just the latest in a long line of casual acquaintances of the girl who had become her best friend. 

Rory's blue eyes remained glued to the Greek God who had just disturbed her. Her eyes travelled over his toned, tanned, muscular chest and abdomen, all the way up to his piercing brown eyes and the sleepy half smile which greeted her. His golden messy bed hair just added to his attractiveness. Rory felt her mouth fall open slightly as his eyes burned into hers. 

"Hi," said the blonde Adonis. Rory mentally applauded Caitlin for her incredible taste in bed partners. This one was definitely the dictionary definition of the word 'hot.' 

"Hi," she said silently cringing at the nervous sound in her voice. 

"Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt you," he spoke politely while running one hand though his hair and his other scratching at his chest. 

"Um, no you're not interrupting me. I'm just trying to find my muse," she admitted, feeling a little unsure of herself as he gave her a lazy smile. 

"It's nine o'clock on a Sunday morning. Maybe your muse is still asleep." Rory laughed softly and met his stare. There was something about those eyes of his: so expressive, so deep and full of intensity. She could get lost in those eyes. 

"Maybe," was all she could manage as she smiled back at him. His smile grew into a smirk as he walked away from her and into the kitchen and poured himself some coffee. He then re-entered the living room and joined her at her desk. Rory tried to force all of her focus onto the computer screen before her. However, that was made infinitely harder when he stood beside her and bent down to read what she had written. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end and her pulse began to race as she felt his body heat radiating off him as he stood there, shirtless. She used all of her strength not to pass out from the scent of him. She used all of her restraint not to pull him down and kiss him like her life depended on it. Instead, she took a deep breath and a sip of her coffee and used the last ounce of composure she had left. 

"I'm Logan, by the way." Rory turned her head and found herself staring into those brown eyes again. Her breath hitched, she felt her face grow hotter, and her heart was thudding relentlessly in her chest. 

Somehow, she managed to form a coherent thought and in a small whispered voice, she replied. "I'm Rory." 

Logan smiled and lowered his head so there was only a small distance between them. Rory's breathing became slightly ragged as her chest heaved. 

"It's nice to finally put a face to the name," he whispered in a low, husky tone and then pulled back from her and casually strolled back to Caitlin's bedroom, coffee in hand. 

Rory watched after him, her eyes wide, her breathing still uneven. For the first time in her life she was rendered speechless. Never before had a man had such an effect on her. She was intrigued. He was perhaps the single most attractive man she had ever encountered and he was sleeping with her best friend. Just her luck! 

_**A/N: So should I keep going? What do you think?**_


	2. Chapter 1: Was That Who I Think It Was?

**A/N: Wow! So guessing by your response, you want me to continue? Here it is. I wrote this chapter in about three hours, which is quite remarkable for me so I hope you all like it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing so far. I was so surprised by the reaction. So thanks to everyone. **

**As I said before, the story is completely AU. Rory and Logan both went to Yale but they never met. They both now live in New York and work in the newspaper business. Rory lives with Caitlin, a wannabe actress and is a journalist at 'The Herald'. Logan works for his father. This chapter picks up 18 months after the prologue and a lot has happened since. Don't worry, all will be revealed and if you have any questions, just ask. And since it's my birthday on Wednesday, the least you could do is send me a nice little review! lol**

**Thank you Megan, don't get too stressed. **

**I don't own the show.**

Just Her Luck

Chapter One: Was That Who I Think It Was?

When she received the message saying that he wanted to talk, she knew exactly where it would lead. She knew it would lead to the same place it did every single time; a hotel room or more specifically a bed. She just couldn't resist him, no matter how hard she tried.

Sitting at the edge of the bed, pulling up the straps of her dress, she felt that very familiar sick feeling in the pit of her stomach as the tears streamed down her cheeks. _Why do I keep doing this to myself? _

Rory asked herself that question over and over again, and with one look at his ruffled brown hair and those smiling blue eyes, she knew exactly what the answer was, she loved him.

She wanted him to love her back the same way. However, deep down within herself she knew that he never could; his wife and family would always come first. She was just the mistress; the bit on the side, the other woman. And it broke her heart that she didn't have the strength to break away and do the right thing, the sensible thing. She was too weak; plain and simple.

"Hey, where are you going?" asked a sleepy voice from behind her. Rory quickly wiped her wet face with her hands before peering back to look at him. She plastered a fake smile over her features and prayed to all the Gods that she wouldn't let him see her cry.

"I, um, I have to go. I promised Caitlin I'd meet her," she lied. Daniel, that was his name, rolled onto his back and groaned.

"I hate when you leave. I wish we could stay here forever; just the two of us." He linked his fingers through hers as he leaned up and placed a chaste kiss on her mouth. Rory pulled away and stood up clutching the ends of her wraparound dress and fastened them together. She quickly gathered up her things and bent down to find her shoe under the bed.

"I have to go." Daniel groaned even louder and blew her a kiss as he collapsed back onto the bed.

"I'll call you." Rory wanted to tell him not to bother. She wanted to tell him that she couldn't keep doing this and that they should end things right then. But, instead, she just smiled and leaned over to kiss him fully on the mouth. Daniel grabbed her butt and pulled her onto the bed. He slid his hand under her skirt and gave her a light squeeze. "God, you make me so horny, Rory."

Rory giggled outwardly but felt that sick feeling return. She pulled herself up and brushed the hair from her face before uttering those three words she always hoped to hear in return. "I love you."

"See you soon, sexy." And with that he rolled over and closed his eyes as she quietly sighed to herself and headed for the exit.

Rory Gilmore had been having an affair with Daniel Rutherford for the last six months. She had met him at a party thrown by her boss, Yvette Calder, and immediately been charmed beyond all possibility. Quite simply, he had swept her off her feet. She was bedazzled by his roguish good looks combined with his masterful mind. It was after a few months and after she had fallen completely in love with him that she discovered he already had a wife and two children. As soon as she found out, she ended things straightaway. However, a few weeks and a lot of alcohol later, they were rolling around a hotel bed and he was telling her how much he cared about her. He told her that he was unhappy in his marriage and that his wife didn't understand him like she did. He had used practically every cheating cliché in the book and Rory knew it. But as someone once said 'love makes you do the wacky.'

There were millions of single, perfectly eligible men in the world. It was just her luck that she would have to fall in love with a married one.

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After making a quick detour to the little coffee shop around the corner from her apartment, she stumbled in over Stefan - the dog - as she battled her way inside. He had a tendency to lay right in front of the door and was too lazy to actually get up and move out of the way when he heard someone coming home. Laziness was just one of his many faults, but she still loved him like a child.

After spending about ten minutes petting Stefan and being slobbered over - he was a sixteen year old, slightly obese St. Bernard with a gammy leg - Rory made her way from the hall and into the living room where her roommate and best friend, Caitlin, was staring blankly at the TV.

"Hey!" she greeted her while removing her jacket and slumping onto the couch beside her.

"Hey," Caitlin's greeting wasn't so chirpy. She had a scowl on her face and about half a bag of chips stuck to her shirt.

"How did your audition go?" Rory asked genuinely keen to know. It was her first audition since…well, a long time.

"I don't want to talk about it," she grunted still not removing her eyes from the TV. However, Stefan had other ideas and decided to try and climb up onto the couch and hoover up the crumbs on her shirt, completely forgetting that his gammy leg prevented him from climbing up on anything. Eventually, Caitlin decided to help him and gave him a shove up onto the couch which took some doing given the size of him. "How did your rendezvous with Daniel go?" she asked suggestively raising her eyebrows at her.

Rory's happy face faded and in place of her smile was a frown. She folded her arms over her chest and furrowed her brow. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Well, we're a fun bunch aren't we?" Caitlin joked while wincing as Stefan settled on the couch sticking his paws in places they really shouldn't be going. She thanked God she wasn't a guy right now otherwise she would be singing soprano. "Feel like some wallowing? We can order pizza, rent some movies…"

Rory liked the idea and could think of nothing better than spending the night at home stuffing her face and watching some old cheesy movie. However, it would have to be another night as she remembered that her presence was required elsewhere.

"Ugh, I can't. I have to go to that stupid fundraiser. My boss is making me attend."

"Oh." Caitlin turned to Stefan who had wedged himself in between both girls and was using Caitlin's leg as a headrest. "I guess it's just you and me then, Stefan."

Stefan groaned causing both Rory and Caitlin to start giggling. "Why don't you come with me? We could make a night of it. Forget all about our crappy lives and have fun."

Caitlin shrugged as she weighed up her options. Spend the night in front of the TV watching old 'I Love Lucy' reruns with an overweight dog farting and slobbering all over her, or get dressed up and go to some swanky benefit with her best friend and have fun mocking everyone. "I could wear that new dress I bought last week."

"Perfect. So you're in?"

"I'm in. Just give me five minutes to get dressed." She slid out from under Stefan and paused as Rory looked at her sceptically. She relented. "Okay, maybe more like an hour."

"You have thirty minutes before the limo gets here." Rory informed her as she gestured for Stefan to get up from his position on the couch. He groaned again and slowly edged his way off, with a little helping hand from Rory.

Caitlin shrieked at the thought of having such a short period of time to get ready and ran to her bedroom. Rory laughed and casually strolled into the kitchen to make herself some coffee. She wasn't even going to contemplate getting ready without some more caffeine in her system. Stefan trudged along behind her and collapsed on the rug before falling into a deep slumber which no one would be able to awaken him from until the morning.

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It had taken only twenty-four minutes and fifty-six seconds for Caitlin to get ready which was surely some kind of world record for her. They arrived at the venue looking radiant and quickly made their way inside. As soon as they entered the main hall they went their separate ways; Caitlin headed to the bar and Rory headed for the appetizers.

Finger foods were her saviour, Rory decided as she stuffed as many tiny delicacies into her mouth as she could manage, while at the same time making sure not to drop anything on her dress. White was _so_ not the color to be wearing when you hadn't eaten anything all day and were surrounded by tiny pieces of cream filled heaven.

She stood there for about twenty minutes, discreetly trying to eat as much as she could before being spotted by anyone she knew. As she reached for the crab cakes, she heard a very distinctive cackle in the near distance and instantly smelled the scent of lavender and fear; it could only be one person, Yvette Calder, her editor.

"Rory darling, I'm so glad you could make it. You look wonderful," she exclaimed loudly while kissing the air around her. Yvette was larger than life and perhaps the most intimidating woman on the planet, she could definitely give Emily Gilmore a serious run for her money.

"Hi Yvette, you look incredible as always," she said honestly. Yvette always had the ability to look completely flawless. Even after working a twelve hour day, her hair would still be sitting perfectly straight and her clothes would remain as clean and pristine as when she first put them on, not covered in coffee stains or ink marks like Rory's.

"Oh, you are such a sweet little thing. There's someone I would like you to meet. I've been dying to introduce you two for ages," she said excitedly with a huge smile on her face. Rory rolled her eyes and inwardly groaned. Yvette was always trying to set her up with someone. "Logan!"

Rory's eyes widened in surprise as they latched onto a very familiar pair of brown eyes. Eyes which she hadn't seen for a very long time. Eyes which she would've been happy to never see again.

"Logan Huntzberger." Yvette grabbed Logan's arm and pulled him towards Rory. "This is Rory Gilmore, my ace reporter." Logan smiled at her scowling face. "Rory, this is Logan Huntzberger. His father owns HPG," she finished introducing them.

"I know, Yvette. We've met before." Rory added unable to take her eyes from the handsome blonde before her. He was staring right back at her. Yvette looked surprised.

"You know each other?"

"Oh yeah. We go way back." Logan smirked as he noted Rory's rather icy demeanour.

"Well, isn't this wonderful," she said while pushing them closer together. "Oh, I see Ira Wiseman, that old pervert. He can't keep his hands to himself. I'll leave you two to catch up." At that she disappeared into the crowd, leaving Rory and Logan alone with the appetizers.

Silence descended between them while all around them everyone went about mingling. Rory lowered her gaze from his and felt her skin crawl and tingle as his eyes scanned her body. She desperately tried to rack her brain trying to think of some excuse to get away from him. She didn't want to be in Logan Huntzberger's company for two seconds, not after everything he had done.

Remembering that she was there with Caitlin, Rory's eyes flew towards the bar. She couldn't see her. Maybe she went to the bathroom. Rory hoped she was in the bathroom and not about to get the biggest shock of her life.

"I'd try the salmon puffs. They're amazing." Logan spoke softly breaking the silence, stepping closer to her. Rory instinctively took a step away from him and ended up pressed against the table. Logan laughed.

"It's good to see you again, Rory. It's been a long time." She could sense the hint of genuine honesty in his tone but her resolve remained steadfast. She wasn't going to let that lying, manipulative, womaniser charm her.

"I wish I could say the same for you," she replied in her harshest tone. Logan smiled softly.

"How are you? How's…everything?" Rory frowned and crossed her arms over her chest defensively.

"That wouldn't be a not so subtle way of asking how Caitlin is, would it?" Logan's smile faded slightly as he looked away from her.

"Actually, no. I could care less how Caitlin is." Rory stared into his eyes. They had held so much warmth before the mention of her best friend's name.

"Wow, how do you go from wanting to marry someone and spend the rest of your life with them, to not caring whether they're alive or dead?" she queried, inclining her head as he lowered his gaze from hers momentarily.

Rory furrowed her brow at the change in his demeanour. He had originally appeared so cool, confident, and relaxed. He now looked slightly broken and dispirited.

"I truly hope…that you'll never have to learn the answer to that question," he said simply, his voice tinged with sadness and regret. He bowed his head before looking at her one last time and then turned away disappearing into the crowd. Rory watching him all the way. She felt uneasy and a little bit curious as to the reason behind the haunted look she had witnessed in his eyes. Maybe it was her journalistic instincts taking over, but there was definitely something behind that look; not that she cared.

After everything he had put Caitlin through, she hoped he was just as miserable as Caitlin had been for the last six months, ever since he ripped her heart out and disappeared.

Rory shook her head, not wanting to revisit those dark times, and turned towards the table. Smiling she picked up the recommended food and quickly stuffed her mouth full. "Mmm, these salmon puffs are incredible!" she said out loud to no one in particular, although a few passers by gave her some strange looks.

"Was that who I think it was?" Crap, Rory thought. She turned around to see her blonde best friend standing with two champagne flutes in her hands.

Rory desperately tried to think of something to say. She racked her brain trying to come up with something. She could tell her that it wasn't Logan - the man who ruined her life - but was instead his identical twin, Hogan. She could tell her that she needed to get her eyes tested and that it was really Yvette, her boss. Or, she could be honest and up front and tell her that, yes, the beautiful blonde Adonis who had broken her heart and left her, with no explanation or reason, was back.

"Logan's here?" Caitlin asked in a slightly panicked voice.

"Calm down, okay."

"What is he doing here? Did you know he was going to be here?"

"Of course not."

"Did he say anything? What did you talk about it? Did he mention me?" Rory hesitated as Caitlin hyperventilated.

"Um, no. He just asked how I was and…he recommended these," she said holding up a salmon puff. "They're really good, by the way."

"I can't believe this. He…he's here," she said softly, her voice almost a whisper. Rory noticed her hands shaking and her body trembling and stepped towards her. She placed her hand on her arm gently, trying to soothe her.

"It's okay. It's going to be okay. You don't have to talk to him." Rory tried to assure her. As soon as the words left her mouth, Caitlin spun to face her.

"Of course I have to talk to him. I haven't seen him in six months. I have to talk to him. I have to tell him…"

"Caitlin, I think you should just stay away from him. Remember how messed up you were after he left."

"I just miss him so much."

"I know," She nodded feeling her heart break for her friend. "But, I really think that you need to just forget about Logan Huntzberger and move on with your life." Caitlin sighed, knowing she was right. She looked off in the direction Logan had gone in and closed her eyes. "Come on, Caitlin. Let's go get something a little stronger to drink."

Caitlin stayed routed to the spot, her eyes frantically searching for any sign of Logan. "He looks good. Don't you think he looks good?"

He always looked good, Rory thought to herself. From the very first time she had met him, she had been completely blown away by just how good he looked. His tanned, toned body was perfectly chiseled and well defined. His brown eyes, his devilish smile. Rory found herself floored by the sight of him just like every other girl on the planet with the ability to see. And when those amazing good looks were matched with the charm and the dazzling smile, it was a lethal combination, as Caitlin had already discovered.

Rory shook her head ridding her mind of all lustful thoughts of Logan Huntzberger and turned to her friend.

"I'm certain he looked a little thin on top and the pot belly…" Caitlin stared at her slightly annoyed by her remarks. "Okay, yes he looks good," she surrendered. "But, I bet he has to work hard to maintain those good looks, unlike you. You are a natural beauty."

Caitlin glared at her.

"What?"

"I need a drink." Caitlin sighed and headed for the bar. Rory looked back seeing Logan talking with some guy. He caught her stare and smiled warmly back at her, giving her a small wave. Rory felt her stomach flip as his brown eyes bore into her. _Man, he has intense eyes_, she thought.

Shaking it off, she rolled her eyes and followed after Caitlin, suddenly feeling very thirsty.

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He couldn't get over how incredible it felt to see her again. It had been six months to the day since he had last laid eyes on her when he had bumped into her in a book store in Manhattan hours before his whole world had fallen apart. She still looked as beautiful as he remembered.

Staring into those sky blue eyes of hers again had sent goose bumps all over his skin. His heart skipped a beat as Yvette drew them both closer and he was able to inhale the scent of honey emanating from her hair. He hadn't been able to resist trailing his eyes over her body. The white, satin material of her dress clung to every curve and made his blood boil with lust. It had always been that way for Logan. He had always had a thing for Rory Gilmore.

**A/N: So before you leave this page, press the little button and tell me what you think. Please!**


	3. Chapter 2: Hell Hath No Fury

**A/N: Hi guys! Here we have chapter two of this little story. It's longer than previous as there is a lot happening. I hope its not too confusing. Oh, and I'd like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read this and review. Over 60 reviews for two pretty short chapters just blows my mind, so thanks and keep it up. lol. Thanks also has to go to my beta, you're the best. :) I don't own the show.**

Just Her Luck!

Chapter Two: Hell Hath No Fury…

Rory was in love with the salmon puffs. They were incredible. She was so addicted that as soon as Caitlin had excused herself to go to the bathroom, Rory made a beeline for the table to get her hands on some more. Becoming so consumed by these little treats, she didn't even notice when a familiar redhead crept up behind her.

"Hey, Gilmore!" Rory spun around with her mouth full and her eyes wide to see Francie, her fellow journalist and friend standing looking bored out of her mind.

"Francie, hey!" She replied in a muffled voice while covering her mouth so as to not spit crumbs everywhere. "You're late."

"I broke up with Steve." She said in a casual tone.

"Again?"

"This time it's over for good." Rory rolled her eyes; she had heard those words before.

"You said that the other hundred times." Francie glared at her and swiped the salmon puff from her fingers. "Hey!"

"So, did I miss anything? Has Yvette fired anyone? Has Ira Wiseman had any alcohol poured over him for being such an old letch?" Rory scowled at her as the salmon puff disappeared into her mouth.

"No, nothing to report as of yet. Except…" she trailed off scanning the room for Caitlin. Francie looked up at her as she brushed a strand of her fiery red hair from her face.

"What?" She asked curiously, her eyes lighting up as she anticipated some juicy gossip. Francie loved gossiping. It was her second favorite hobby.

"Logan Huntzberger is here." Rory said lowering her voice. Francie smirked.

"Is he still as hot as ever?" she enquired, as an image of the sexy blonde flashed in her minds eye. She watched as Rory shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. Francie shook her head and rolled her eyes at her friend's inability to admit her attraction to the dashing Huntzberger heir.

"Caitlin's here." Francie almost choked on the salmon puff as she swallowed it. Her face lit up with glee as she clapped her hands excitedly.

"Ooh, does she know he's here? Has she seen him yet?" Rory sighed. A waiter passed them and Francie grabbed two champagne flutes, handing one to Rory.

"She knows he's here."

Francie couldn't help the smile from creeping over her face. Caitlin Forbes was her least favorite person in the whole wide world. In fact, she would go so far as to say she despised the girl. They had become enemies when Francie had caught her in a rather compromising position with one of her ex-boyfriends. Ever since then, Francie found joy in Caitlin's misery and if Logan was back in the picture, Francie had a new best friend.

"And I was going to stay home tonight." She shook her head with an evil smile on her face. Rory took a sip of champagne and narrowed her eyes at her friend.

"I'm going to go visit the little girl's room." Francie waved her off, her eyes fixed on the inhabitants of the room; she searched for that familiar head of blonde hair as her mind came up with one way to ensure that Caitlin's night was as horrible as possible.

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Having successfully avoided being inappropriately fondled by Mr Wiseman, her boss's boss, Rory strolled casually along the hallway towards the ladies restroom. She needed to do some serious repair work to her make-up and hair, which had fallen out of place. Searching through her clutch purse, hoping she had remembered to bring her lip gloss with her, she pushed open the bathroom door and entered. After much probing, she finally found her lip gloss and cheered in victory.

Hearing a noise, she glanced up only to be stunned by what she saw before her. Her mouth dropped open as she saw Caitlin pressed up against her ex-fiancé, her lips attached to his and her arms wrapped around his neck in a passionate embrace.

They broke apart; or rather Logan pushed Caitlin away as soon as Rory's presence was recognised. Caitlin turned to face Rory with a huge grin on her face as Logan bowed his head, avoiding her line of vision.

"Rory, hey!" Caitlin said brightly as she placed her hand possessively over Logan's chest. Rory stood in silence, her jaw still on the ground, her eyes wide in amazement and disbelief.

"Um, hi. Sorry, I didn't…" she couldn't speak. For the first time in her life she was completely speechless.

At the sound of her voice, Logan finally looked up and watched for her reaction. He pushed away from the sinks and passed Caitlin, desperate to remove himself from this rather awkward situation.

"I should get back to the party," he muttered as he walked towards the exit where Rory was still standing gaping at what she had just witnessed. He kept his eyes on hers as she stared back at him. Rory narrowed her eyes as she noticed the look of shame on his face. _What the hell is he playing at?_

"Your lipstick's smudged!" she glared at him. Logan locked eyes with hers before wiping his hand over his mouth and brushing passed her and out the door. Rory laughed as she shook her head. With Logan now out of the way, she glanced back at Caitlin, who still had that dreamy look on her face as she fluffed her hair and reapplied her lipstick. Rory walked over, sat her purse on the counter and faced Caitlin.

"So…?" She asked leaning against the counter which Logan had just been pressed up on. Caitlin turned to her and smiled.

"I think there is a pretty good chance that you will be going home alone tonight. We're getting back together," she exclaimed in an excited tone. Rory frowned, unable to comprehend the information she was receiving.

She shook her head. "I'm sorry. What?"

"Logan and I…we're going to give it another shot."

"You are?"

"Yep!"

"You and Logan?"

"Can you believe it?"

Rory couldn't believe it especially going from the look on Logan's face as he made his exit. He didn't look like a man who was happily getting back together with his ex. He looked guilty and ashamed. He looked uncomfortable and definitely not like someone who was completely besotted with the ex love of his life.

"Are you sure about this? I mean…it wasn't that long ago you were telling me how Logan ruined your life and how you hated him for walking out the way he did. Now suddenly all is forgiven?"

"Rory, I don't expect you to understand. I mean it's not like you've ever been in love like I am with Logan." Rory narrowed her eyes at Caitlin's dig at her pathetic romantic history. "We need each other. Logan just needed some time to figure out a few things and now he's ready."

"And he told you this? Logan told you that he still loves you and wants you two to get back together and get married, did he?"

Caitlin paused as Rory felt her annoyance and concern take over.

"Well no, but-"

"But, what?"

"I can tell, Rory. You don't know him like I do. I know he still feels it. I'm sure of it." Rory looked at Caitlin; really looked and saw so much certainty in her eyes, it was frightening. She had a really bad feeling about this. She wasn't as sure as Caitlin was that Logan had any intentions of ever getting back together with her. And she had no idea why Caitlin would ever want someone like Logan back in her life. Someone who just up and left one day with no explanation, no note, nothing. He had just completely disappeared for two weeks leaving her devastated. Then Caitlin had returned to their apartment one day to find all of his stuff gone and a note saying she had a week to find somewhere else to live.

As far as Rory was aware, that was the last contact they had made in six months and now suddenly everything was back on.

"Caitlin…"

"I better get out there. I need to go get my man." She finished readjusting her dress and then beamed at Rory as she headed towards the door. "Wish me luck!"

Rory's shoulders slumped in defeat as she let out a huge sigh. There was nothing she could do. There was no talking to Caitlin when her mind was made up. All she could do was be there for her when it inevitably blew up in her face. That's what friends were for, right?

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After making the necessary improvements to her appearance, Rory grudgingly made her way back to the party. She really didn't want to see Caitlin completely humiliate herself and so decided to make a beeline for the bar.

She ordered a shot of Tequila and downed it before making a scrunched up face. She turned around and leaned against the bar, scanning her surroundings. She watched as everyone else danced and laughed and enjoyed themselves. She looked for Caitlin briefly before turning back to the bartender and ordering another round of shots.

"You know, it's never good to drink alone," said a deep voice from beside her. Rory glanced up to see Logan standing at the bar. She sneered at him and then downed her next shot.

"I'm not drinking alone. I'm drinking with my good friend…" she gestured towards the bartender waiting for him to tell them his name.

"Jake."

"Jake! My good friend Jake. So, don't worry about me." She finished and then slid gracefully onto the stool. Logan watched her as he waited for Jake - Rory's new best friend - to bring him his Scotch. "Shouldn't you be off sending out wedding invitations?"

Logan frowned as he perched himself on the stool next to her. "Look Rory-"

"What are you still doing here?" she cut him off. Logan sighed in frustration.

"What you saw back there…it wasn't what you think it was."

"Do I look like I care?" she scowled as Jake brought her another drink.

"I just don't want you to think-"

"What little game are you playing here, Logan?" Logan frowned and turned to face her.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, according to Caitlin, you two are getting back together. Is that true?"

Logan's brown eyes roamed over her pale face as he inclined his head to the side. "I thought you didn't care."

"I don't care. Well, actually I do care. Caitlin is my best friend and I don't want to see her get hurt again. After the last time, she was a complete mess. And I was the one who had to pick up the pieces when you were off gallivanting god knows where."

"So, you're not jealous?"

Rory almost spat out her drink as the words left his mouth. She looked up at him and let out a slightly incredulous chuckle. "Jealous? Please, Logan contrary to popular opinion, the world doesn't actually revolve around you. And _my_ world certainly doesn't."

Logan sighed into his glass as he downed the remnants and ordered another. Rory rolled her eyes at him, she really wished he would just disappear, but it didn't look like he was for budging.

"Just…don't lead her on, okay. If it's over, tell her it's over," she said in a stern but quiet voice, breaking the silence between them. Logan glanced at her, his gaze travelling over her slender body, locking onto her deep blue eyes. She truly was breathtaking.

"I never had any intention of getting back together with Caitlin. It's not her that I want. It never was." Rory stared back at him, losing herself in his gaze. She felt her stomach dip and her skin tingle as Logan gently placed his hand over hers. His eyes remained locked on her as her pulse started racing. She felt a mixture of nervous excitement and mind numbing fear as well as anger towards him.

"Logan Huntzberger! Well I'll be damned. It's good to see you, and may I admit you're looking as devilishly handsome as ever." Francie interrupted, breaking the smouldering tension between the pair. Rory quickly snatched her hand away from under his and immediately downed the rest of her drink. She suddenly felt very thirsty.

Logan smiled warmly back at Francie and gave her a friendly hug. He had always liked Francie; she was fun and full of life. She reminded him of Finn and Finn was very fond of Francie.

"Hey Francie, how are you?" he greeted her genuinely happy to see her. It had been a while. "Have you ditched that boyfriend yet and decided to run away with me?"

"Actually you are in luck, my friend. I just broke up with him today."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"Well, why don't you console me with a dance?"

Logan smiled before glancing at Rory. Her head was lowered and her eyes were on her glass. "Sure. Lead the way." He brushed passed Rory and took Francie's hand as she led him to the dance floor.

Francie stopped and smiled at him as he placed his hands on her waist and they began moving in time to the music. Logan's eyes were unconsciously drawn back to the brunette at the bar. She was talking animatedly to the bartender as Logan closed his eyes, remembering the feel of her soft, delicate hand in his. It felt incredible just to touch her hand; Logan wondered what it would be like to hold her or to kiss her.

He opened his eyes and looked down at Francie, who was smiling knowingly back at him.

"What?" he asked trying to shake off the feeling of having Rory's hand in his. Francie's smile grew into a smirk as she looked over at Rory who was still chatting to the bartender.

"I wasn't interrupting something, was I?"

"What? What do you mean?"

"Well, I hope I wasn't interrupting you finally declaring your undying love for Rory. Was I?" Logan froze as Francie started laughing.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he shrugged it off, but he was fooling no one.

"Oh please, Logan. I know you two have always had a thing for each other. The only thing that was keeping you apart was Barbie and she's no longer in the picture, right?"

Logan smiled and shook his head. "Tell her how you feel, Logan. You'd be doing both of you a favor. And if it means that Caitlin is miserable too, then we all win," she grinned.

Logan looked back at Rory and saw her watching them both. His eyes locked on hers once more and instantly he knew that more than anything, he wanted her.

"Logan!" he was snapped out of his daze by the sound of a slightly high pitched voice. It wasn't Francie, he turned to see Caitlin standing beside them, and Francie glowering at her.

"Logan, I …can we talk? I was wondering if maybe you wanted to go somewhere a little quieter and we can-"

"I don't think so," he cut her off, his tone slightly harsh and abrupt. Caitlin widened her eyes in surprise. Logan let go of Francie and faced Caitlin head on. "Now really isn't the time."

"Oh, okay. How about tomorrow? We can meet for lunch…" Logan shook his head in exasperation.

"No, tomorrow won't be a good time either. Look, Caitlin we are not doing this. We are not getting back together. Not now, not ever. That little thing in the bathroom was you forcing yourself on me. I don't want anything to do with you, so stay the hell away from me."

By the time he finished, everyone around them was watching them intrigued by the spectacle of Logan Huntzberger yelling at his ex-fiancée.

"I know you still love me, Logan. I know it." Caitlin insisted, ignoring the fact that they were the center of attention. Logan lowered his head, sighing in frustration.

"Oh my god! What do I have to do to get it through that head of yours? I don't love you. I never did. Breaking up with you was the best thing that ever happened to me. So please, do me a favor and leave me alone." Caitlin burst into tears as Logan's pent up anger was unleashed. Caitlin stared at Logan as the tears fell down her cheeks. Her eyes were drawn to the smiling figure of Francie and then to the peering eyes of the rest of the room. Feeling humiliated, she pushed passed them both and ran off out of the hall.

Logan turned to see her rush off and felt no remorse or guilt. He felt nothing for Caitlin Forbes, except for the sick feeling in his gut every time he shut his eyes and saw her with…

"Nice job, Logan!" his eyes flew open as he heard Rory's voice. She stood before him, her eyes brimming with anger and seething hatred. She turned away from him and began heading after Caitlin. Logan grabbed her arm and spun her around.

"I was only doing what you told me to," he told her feeling a little annoyed by her reaction.

"I never meant for you to completely humiliate her in front of everyone. Let go!" she said angrily pulling her arm from his grasp. She narrowed her eyes at him. "What happened to you? It's like you're turning into your father. Mitchum would be so proud," she spat out and then hurriedly ran in the direction Caitlin had left in.

Logan watched after her, stung by her criticism. Comparing him to his father was below the belt. She had no right to say such a thing, he was nothing like his father. Maybe, if she knew the truth about her precious best friend, she wouldn't be in such a rush to defend her.

"Drink?" Francie appeared in front of him holding a glass of champagne and a wicked smile on her face. Logan smiled slightly. _At least someone's on my side!_

RLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRL

"So, I have something to tell you." Lorelai smiled as she took a sip from her glass. Rory sat across from her in the restaurant as they enjoyed their weekly dinner. With her living in New York and her mother still in Stars Hollow, they didn't really get much time to spend together anymore. So, Sunday nights, no matter what were their night.

"What?"

"You're Dad is getting married again." Rory looked up and stopped cutting into the chicken on her plate.

"Again?"

"Third time lucky!" Lorelai joked and returned her attention to her own plate.

"Are you okay about it? I mean, I know you and Luke are happily married and all, but it's Dad…"

Lorelai shrugged as she slid a potato into her mouth. "I'm actually really okay about it. I want him to be happy. As happy as I am with Luke," she finished, her sentiments completely genuine.

Rory smiled and stuffed her mouth with a piece of chicken. "I'm glad. So, who is my new step-mommy?"

"Her name is Heather, she's an investment banker and-"

"Miss," she was cut off by the arrival of the waiter holding a bottle of champagne in his hands. Rory looked up at him with a puzzled expression on her face.

"We didn't order that." She frowned and then looked at Lorelai. "Did you order it?"

Lorelai shook her head. "No."

"We didn't order that." The waiter nodded before gesturing to a table at the other side of the restaurant.

"The gentleman sent it over for your enjoyment." Rory leaned forward to see who he was looking at and immediately her eyes fell on Logan. His eyes locked on hers and he gave her a little smile and a wave. Rory narrowed her eyes as she felt her anger towards him build.

She couldn't believe the nerve he had. Did he really think that he could just buy her champagne and all would be forgotten? That she would just forget the fact that he had completely humiliated Caitlin, her best friend in front of everyone the night before and broken her heart once again.

"Is that…?" Lorelai asked following her line of vision.

"Logan Huntzberger, yes." Suddenly an idea popped into her head and a large smile grew on her face. Putting down her fork and knife, Rory accepted the bottle of champagne from the waiter and pushed her chair out. She walked over to where Logan was sitting with two other men. As she got closer she recognised them as his two closest friends, Colin and Finn.

All three men looked up as she stopped at their table.

"Rory Gilmore, as I live and breathe," spoke Finn in his thick Australian accent. Rory smiled back at him and nodded at Colin.

"Hi guys, it's good to see you."

"You too. You look hot!" Finn exclaimed. "How's your friend, Francie? Is she still with that boyfriend of hers?"

"Actually, no. They split up." Finn's eyes widened, he was decidedly happy with such news.

"Really." He sat back in his chair and gazed off into the distance as he plotted 'Operation: Get Francie to go out with him.' Rory laughed and then turned her attention to Logan, whose eyes had been on her the whole time.

He noticed the smile fade from her face and a flicker in her eyes as she frowned back at him.

"You sent this over?" she asked referring to the bottle of champagne she still held in her hands. Logan nodded.

"Look at it as a peace offering." Rory shook her head and laughed.

"Yeah, well…keep it. I don't want it or anything else from you. So, here…" she tipped the bottle over and poured the contents all over him. Finn and Colin gaped at them both as Logan pushed out his chair and flung his arms to the sides as the liquid dripped off of him. He opened his eyes to see Rory standing with a wicked grin on her face.

"Oops!" she covered her mouth with her hand in a mock gesture of innocence. "I am so sorry. These bottles, they're just so damn slippery." _That was for Caitlin, she thought to herself._

Logan just stood there, completely soaked and smelling of very expensive Champagne. Rory took one last look at her handy work and then spun on her heal and walked back to her table where Lorelai was standing holding their coats, so they could make a quick getaway. An expression of awe on her face.

Logan watched as she walked away and then sat back down on his wet chair. Finn and Colin by this time were both laughing hysterically at the state of their friend.

"She always was a feisty one that Gilmore!" Colin said in between giggles. Logan caught sight of Rory one last time before she and her mother left. Rory smirked and gave him a little wave, mirroring his from before. Logan couldn't help but smile back at her, which caused her smile to fade slightly.

Logan should have felt absolutely livid at her little performance; he wasn't. He was actually a little impressed, and attracted. Her covering him in champagne only seemed to make him want her even more. _Game on, Rory Gilmore! Game on!_

RLRLRLRLRLRLRL

Monday morning arrived all too soon for Rory as she sat at her desk nursing a slight hangover.

After leaving the restaurant the night before in hysterics, she and her mother had gone to a bar and celebrated her getting one over on Logan Huntzberger. However, she still felt slightly uneasy by the look he gave her as she left the restaurant. She was pretty certain that he would do something to get her back, she just wasn't sure how far he would go. He was a Huntzberger after all, he had connections.

There was also the small matter of having to explain to Yvette about the little scene between Caitlin and Logan at the fundraiser. She was pretty sure that wouldn't have gone over too well.

"Aspirin?" Francie appeared before her dangling a bottle of Aspirin in front of her. Rory groaned and rested her head in her hand.

"I've already taken some. Coffee would be good," she suggested. Francie smiled and then headed towards the break room to brew her some fresh coffee.

"Saturday night was fun, huh?" she smiled evilly back at her causing Rory to roll her eyes and place her head on the table surface.

"Gilmore!" the sound of Matthew's voice - Yvette's assistant - surprised her as she snapped her head back up quickly, too quickly for her fragile state to handle. "Yvette wants to see you."

Rory groaned once more and slid out of her chair. She passed Francie who was returning with her coffee and headed towards her boss' office.

She knocked on the door and was told to come in by a rather harassed sounding Yvette. Rory took a deep breath, fearing the worst and then slowly entered the room. Yvette was on the telephone talking in Japanese. She gestured for Rory to sit and she duly did so.

Feeling her nerves growing out of control added to the bout of nausea, Rory thought she was either going to pass out or throw up. She closed her eyes and tried to let it all pass. Only to jump as she heard the phone slamming down. Her eyes flew open to see Yvette slumping back in her chair, looking very peeved. Rory wanted the earth to open up and swallow her whole at that point.

Yvette's eyes fell on her as she pulled herself up and gave her a smile.

"Rory, it's nice to see you." Rory frowned feeling slightly wary by the change in Yvette's tone and demeanour. She had gone from aggravated and annoyed to pleasant and welcoming. It was rather alarming.

"Um…you too, Miss Calder, Yvette." She stuttered as she fidgeted in her chair.

"So, the other night turned out to be very interesting, huh?" she smiled broadly. "It was quite eventful."

Rory nodded as she squirmed under her gaze.

"Well? Are you going to fill me in on the details or do I have to drag it out of you?" Yvette asked exasperatedly.

"What do you mean?" she was confused.

"Why didn't you ever mention that you were friends with Caitlin Forbes, Logan Huntzberger's jilted ex-fiancée?"

"Um, I…"

"Logan certainly let her have it. What did she do to him?" Rory frowned and shook her head.

"She didn't do anything to him. He was the one who left."

"Well, he must have had a good reason. How long were they together?"

"They were together for almost a year. He proposed after six months." She informed her suddenly feeling uncomfortable telling her boss about her best friend's relationship.

"I wonder what happened," she mused as she stared off into the distance. "Well, anyway I asked you into my office for a reason."

Rory felt her nerves return.

"I'm sure you've heard the rumours circulating regarding Logan Huntzberger, about whether or not he's going to be leaving HPG to go it alone." Rory nodded, she had heard, and she would be extremely surprised if it were true. As far as she was aware, Logan was a spoiled society brat who had everything handed to him on a silver platter. She seriously doubted that he had the guts to cut himself off and actually try to make a name for himself separate from the family business. He was too much of a coward to take that kind of chance.

"Well, I have been badgering him for months to give us an interview, and this morning I received a phone call from him saying that he'll do it. On one condition."

Rory raised her eyebrows, interested to know what ridiculous conditions he had.

"He wants you to interview him."

"What?" Rory sprung forward in disbelief.

"He personally requested you. You must have made quite an impression."

"No, Yvette. There's no way. I can't. I don't think it would be such a good idea." She really didn't want to spend any amount of time in his company.

"Nonsense." She dismissed her. "It's perfect. You are my best reporter and Logan obviously has an eye for talent when he sees it. You will meet him tomorrow for lunch and get as much out of him as you can."

"Don't you think me interviewing him would be like a conflict of interests? I mean, we don't get along. Honestly, I can't stand him. Don't you think someone else would be able to give you a more fair and balanced story?"

"Rory, if I told you tomorrow that you were going to be interviewing Saddam Hussein, would you turn it down because he is a war criminal who massacred hundreds of his own people? Or would you be thankful for the opportunity to write a great article?" Rory frowned, a little confused by her choice of comparison.

"Now, I'm not saying that Logan Huntzberger is a war criminal. But in this profession you have to put your personal feelings aside and be professional enough to get the story. This is an excellent opportunity for you, Rory. Don't screw it up."

Rory sighed in resignation as Yvette rose from behind her desk. She was right. It was an excellent opportunity. Logan was one of the rising stars of the business world and with him being a Huntzberger, she should be incredibly grateful for the chance to cover this story.

"Now, you are meeting him tomorrow at De Luca's for lunch at 12.30p.m." She informed her and walked to the door indicating for Rory to follow her. She did. "Oh, and try and find out what really happened between him and your friend."

Rory left her office and headed back to her desk where Francie was perched trying to look as though she were busy reading. She looked up to see Rory return with a troubled look on her face.

"What's wrong?" she enquired, as Rory sat down on her chair. She reached for the little bottle of Aspirin, opened it and poured two tiny pills out before placing them in her mouth and washed them down with her bottle of water.

"I have a headache," she groaned and placed her head in her hands. Francie eyed her curiously and then patted her on the back. She jumped up from the table as she heard Yvette's voice bellowing down the hall.

"I should go do some work. Tell me later, okay." Rory groaned once more and looked up to see Yvette pass by her desk and give her a knowing nod.

So, that was how he was going to get her back, by going through her boss to make her life as miserable as possible. He really was a jerk.

RLRLRLRLRLRLRL

Rory stood in the kitchen sipping her freshly brewed coffee while staring off into the distance. So many thoughts were racing through her mind; her interview with Logan, how she was going to break it to Caitlin that she would have to be in the same room as him, and then there was Daniel.

He had called her earlier to tell her that his wife was taking the kids to visit their grandparents on the weekend. He wanted her to meet him for a romantic rendezvous; however, Rory wasn't sure she really wanted to join him. She was torn between her feelings for him and her pride. She wasn't sure whether she could keep up the act of being the other woman. She wanted more. She wanted someone to come home to, someone who made her feel like she was the most important thing in their life, and Daniel couldn't do that. Not that she would ever push him to leave his family, but she wanted him to want her as more than his bit on the side. Or maybe it wasn't _him_ she wanted, necessarily. Just _someone_ to love her.

"Hey," muttered Caitlin as she drifted into the kitchen. Rory was pulled from her thoughts and looked at her surprised to see her dressed in actual clothes. She had spent the whole of Sunday lying in her bed wearing her pyjamas.

"Hey, you're up! You're dressed!" she said in an incredulous tone.

"Yep." Caitlin replied as she poured herself some coffee. Rory studied her face for any signs of emotion, but she remained poker straight.

"How are you feeling?" she enquired. Rory had been worried that she would revert back to the devastated, depressed mess she had become the first time Logan had broken her heart.

"I'm fine," she said simply and sat on a stool as Rory filled the coffee pot with more water and let it brew.

"Really?"

"I'm fine, Rory. I mean, I'm not wonderful, but I've decided that I'm not going to let Logan do to me again what he did before. I'm not going to be that pathetic, snivelling idiot I was before."

"That's good," she said rather cautiously, searching her eyes to see if she really meant it or was just telling her that to get her to stop worrying about her.

"Yeah, I already mourned over my relationship with Logan. I'm not going to do that again. Instead, I'm going to get up, get dressed, and get even." Caitlin spoke with determination in her voice. Rory frowned, unsure of her meaning.

"What do you mean 'get even'?" she asked curiously. Caitlin smiled broadly and then finished off her coffee.

"I'm not going to let him get away with what he did to me the other night or six months ago. He thinks that because he's Logan Huntzberger that he can do anything he wants and get away with it. Well, not this time."

"Caitlin…"

"I'm not the first girl he's treated like dirt you know. Far from it. He seduces you, makes you think that you're the most important thing in the world, and then just like that, he spits you out," she continued on her rant as Rory's concern began to grow.

"He pretends like he's such a nice guy, while all the time, he's just waiting to screw you and then screw with your mind. I want him to taste some of his own medicine."

"What are you talking about?"

"I want revenge, Rory, and you're going to help me get it." Caitlin finished, her face full of pain and anger. Rory stared back at her with furrowed brows.

"How exactly am I going to help you get revenge on Logan?" she humoured her. Rory was really starting to get worried about Caitlin's state of mind. She needed to forget about Logan all together and just focus on getting her life back on track, not concern herself with stupid ideas of revenge.

"I want you to seduce him," she said evenly with a tortured look in her eyes.

"What?" Rory gaped at her in bewilderment.

"I want you to seduce him, get him to fall in love with you, and then once he trusts you completely, I want you to break up with him as publicly and as humiliatingly as possible. I want him to know what it feels like to have his heart ripped out and stomped on for everyone to see."


	4. Chapter 3: Like A Woman Scorned

****

A/N: Here is another update for you. I've had this chapter done for a while, but something about it just wasn't working. I think I've fixed it and hopefully you will all enjoy. Please read and review. I love hearing what you think. Thanks. J

I don't own the show.

Just Her Luck!

Chapter Three: …Like A Woman Scorned.

In all of her twenty-six years, Rory Gilmore had never found herself in any circumstance where she could be described as truly speechless. Until now.

Standing in the kitchen, with a mug of coffee in her hand and her jaw on the floor, she stared at her friend in bewilderment. She focused her eyes on hers intently, trying to read her. She was absolutely certain that she was joking about her revenge plan, but Caitlin's eyes remained firm. Her facial expression completely serious. Rory took a sip of her coffee while buying herself time to think of something to say.

"Rory…"

"Just give me a minute here." she pleaded trying to wrap her mind around the preposterous idea of her seducing Logan Huntzberger to provide him with a dose of his own medicine. She would have laughed at the very notion if Caitlin didn't look so resolute in her request. "You want me…" she said slowly pointing to herself. "…to seduce Logan?"

Caitlin furrowed her brows and crossed her arms over her chest. She didn't speak, she simply nodded her reply. Rory shook her head.

"What do you think?" Rory sat her mug down on the counter and moved towards the door.

"I think you need to up your dosage." she said laughing as she left the kitchen and went straight to her bedroom. Caitlin followed eagerly behind her.

"Rory, I'm serious."

"I know. That's why I think you're insane."

"You saw what he did the last time. You saw what he did the other night. He takes pleasure in making other people suffer. He is a Huntzberger after all."

"Okay, I am well aware of how much he hurt you but…go on a talk show and discuss your problems with the nation or…buy a voodoo doll and stick pins in it." Rory told her as she riffled through her closet. "Or better yet, move on. Do what every other normal person does, get over it. Let him go and move on."

"Rory, I can't just move on. I love him." Rory stopped what she was doing and turned back to look at Caitlin with a confused expression on her face.

"If you love him, why do you want to hurt him so much?"

"I just…I need…" Rory sighed as she watched the tortured look in Caitlin's eyes.

"Revenge." Rory finished for her, sighing in resignation. Caitlin looked up at her and smiled sadly. "Can't you just boil his bunny? Why do you have to drag me into it?"

"Because you're the only person I trust." she replied in a small voice. Rory perched herself on the bed beside Caitlin and placed her arm over her shoulders.

"I know it hurts, Cait. But in time…"

"Please, Rory. It's been six months and when I saw him the other night, my heart skipped a beat. I got the butterflies again. Logan is the only person who has ever made me feel that way." she explained while resting her head against Rory's. "It's like we're the only two people in the room and the lights dim everywhere else. Nothing else matters."

Rory stared off into the distance, a faint smile creeping over her features as she remembered the last time she felt like that. However, the smile quickly faded as she realised that the last person to make her heart skip a beat or make her stomach flutter was the very person whom she was being asked to ruin in the name of vengeance.

She frowned and hugged Caitlin tightly. She couldn't go through with Caitlin's crazy plan, could she? There was no way. First of all, it hinged on the idea that Rory could seduce Logan. Rory knew herself that the likelihood of her being able to do that was rather miniscule. She had never been very good at intentionally trying to attract someone. She had always been the one who was pursued. Never before had she been the pursuer. She wouldn't know where to start.

Secondly, Rory Gilmore could not lie. Growing up, she could never lie to anyone and if she did, the guilt would eat her up until she felt so dreadful that she had to spill everything. How could she pretend to like Logan and carry on the act for however long Caitlin was intending? It was impossible.

Third of all, as much as she claimed to detest Logan in solidarity with her best friend, she couldn't deny the attraction she felt for him deep down. The idea of getting close to him, kissing him - as she was sure she would have to - and trying to make him fall in love with her so that she could then turn around and crush him filled her with a sick feeling. She wasn't sure whether she would be strong enough to stop herself from falling for him.

Her mind continued to roll over every single reason why she couldn't go through with Caitlin's plan for revenge. It all came back to the fact that she didn't think she could ever intentionally set out to hurt someone. It wasn't in her nature.

She closed her eyes as her mind wandered back to their first proper introduction;

__

She had given up. Her mind was blank and she no longer believed that journalism was the right career choice for her. As she stared at her umpteenth cup of coffee that day, she decided that she should've become a coffee seller or taster. That would have been a far less stressful life than the one she had right now.

Deadlines were the bane of her existence. Even though she was a thorough planner, she always ended up taking things right to the wire. She figured she must have some kind of deep rooted masochistic self sabotaging streak that wanted to ruin her career as a journalist before it even got off the ground. That or she was a pressure junkie. She loved the buzz it gave her as she frantically raced to have her work done and finished on time. The adrenaline rush was addictive.

Rory continued staring off into space trying to find the words to finish her article when the door to Caitlin's room opened. Rory sat up straight immediately as she caught sight of a now fully dressed, Logan. Caitlin followed him out of the room and stopped to take a sip of Rory's coffee. Logan fixed his eyes back on Rory as she nervously tried to ignore them both.

"Good morning." Caitlin smiled cheerily as she wound herself around Logan's lean frame. Rory continued tapping on her keyboard, keeping her eyes on the screen.

"Morning." she grunted. Caitlin frowned at Rory's lack of interest and let go of Logan.

"Rory, how long have you been working on that thing?"

"Umm." she hesitated. She had no idea how long she had been sitting in front of her computer. The days seemed to blur into each other.

"Rory!" Caitlin snapped. Rory looked up and caught sight of her friend's irritated expression. She momentarily allowed her eyes to sneak a look at the stranger standing behind Caitlin. His eyes were fixed on hers and she felt her whole body blush as he smiled at her and nodded.

Caitlin noticed the direction of Rory's stare and turned to face Logan.

"Rory, this is Logan Huntzberger."

"Yeah, we already met." Logan smiled broadly at Caitlin. "This morning. We ran into each other." he filled her in.

"Oh." Caitlin left the two of them and drifted off towards the kitchen. Rory smiled awkwardly back at Logan as he watched her intently. She couldn't help it, she felt very uneasy around this guy. She had never met him before that morning, but there was something about him, drawing her in despite the fact he had just spent the night with her best friend. Maybe it was the eyes, he had very expressive eyes. Or maybe it was the crooked smile he gave her as they remained in silence. Whatever it was, she was extremely glad that she would never have to see him again. Caitlin was never usually a repetitive type of girl. One night stands were her thing. Rory had never been so relieved.

"So, Logan what time do you want to meet tonight?" Rory's eyes widened as Caitlin returned to the room. Logan removed his gaze from Rory and smiled at Caitlin.

"I was thinking that I could send a car for you around 8.00p.m. If that's okay with you?" he asked. Caitlin shrugged as she sipped on her freshly brewed cup of coffee. She sat another one down next to Rory, who was currently trying to wrap her mind around the idea that Caitlin would willingly want to see a guy again.

He must be good in bed; _she thought and then looked at Logan. She blushed as an image of him standing in front of her with no shirt on from earlier that morning flashed through her mind. _Of course he's good in bed, look at him!__

Just as Rory glanced in his direction, Logan caught her staring at him, much to her embarrassment.

"That's fine. I can't wait!" Caitlin replied excitedly. She leaned forward and kissed him soundly on the lips. Rory watched out of the corner of her eye. She felt happy for her friend that she had finally found a guy she genuinely liked. However, it was just her luck that the one guy Caitlin would let stick around would happen to be someone whom Rory couldn't stop thinking about.

"I should get going. I have a busy day ahead of me." Logan informed the two girls and kissed Caitlin once more before picking up his coat. He winked at Rory as he passed her by. "It was nice meeting you, Rory."

Rory smiled and watched his retreating figure leave. As he closed the door behind him, it hit her. "LOGAN HUNTZBERGER!" she blurted out loudly. Caitlin smiled and wandered off to sit on the couch. "That was Logan Huntzberger?"

Caitlin nodded. "You are sleeping with Logan Huntzberger? The son of Mitchum Huntzberger? The Huntzberger heir!"

Caitlin's smile broadened as Rory watched her in awe. "Yep." she said excitedly. "Can you believe how amazing this will be for my career?"

Rory turned back to stare at her computer screen, not quite able to comprehend the fact that Caitlin was involved with the son of the newspaper king, Mitchum Huntzberger. As the thoughts whirled around in her head, she groaned to herself. The first time she meets a Huntzberger and she turns into a puddle of mush. Great!

RLRLRLRLRL

Rory sat in the restaurant, nervously awaiting her date, well not her date, her…acquaintance. This wasn't a date. It was a professional luncheon where she would gather enough information on one Logan Huntzberger to complete her article and that would be that. No follow ups, nothing. She would never need to be in the same room as Logan Huntzberger ever again.

She tapped her fingers nervously on the table as she chewed on a bread stick waiting for a very late Logan Huntzberger to arrive. Glancing at her watch, she sighed to herself and leaned back on her seat as the waiters hurried around her. Rory's eyes were drawn to the entrance every time someone entered but it wasn't Logan, it was never Logan.

She just wanted this over and done with. She hadn't told Caitlin about the interview. She knew if she did, Caitlin would see it as the perfect opportunity to put her plan into motion. However, Rory was determined that, under no circumstances, would she go through with it. Caitlin needed to move on and obsessing over revenge plots was not going to help her do that.

Readjusting her dress, Rory sipped on her drink. She had ordered water, wanting to remain coherent and professional while dealing with the Huntzberger heir. That is, if he ever arrived. Glancing at her watch once more, she noticed that he was now twenty-five minutes late. Another five and she was out of there, they would have to reschedule. She wasn't going to sit around like an idiot because he couldn't tell the time.

Hearing the door open and the maitre d' greet the arrival warmly; Rory looked over to see Logan Huntzberger staring back at her. He smiled and then indicated to the maitre d' that he was meeting someone. Rory frowned as he headed in her direction, but she couldn't take her eyes off him. She felt her pulse quicken as she took in the sight of his slightly damp appearance. The wet look really worked for him. Not that she was interested. He stopped at the table and gestured to the waiter to bring him a scotch. He then pulled out the chair opposite Rory and sat down.

"I'm really sorry about this. The car broke down and then it started raining. I had to run over here. I hope you weren't waiting too long." he explained, keeping his brown eyes on hers. Rory shrugged and took another sip of her water.

"Not long." she lied and then turned to her notepad as the waiter brought over his drink. Logan took a big sip and let out a deep sigh in return.

"Ahh! I needed that after the morning I've had."

"Busy day?" she enquired half heartedly. Logan glanced at her and smiled.

"You could say that."

"So, should we get started right away?"

"What do you say we order first? I'm starving." Before Rory could object, he had already called over the waiter and was in the process of ordering for them both. Rory sighed dejectedly and rest her head on her hand. "The duck here is excellent."

After lunch was served - and a very tasty lunch indeed - Rory tried to take the reigns of the conversation. However, every time she would mention the interview, Logan would change the subject or receive a phone call, leaving Rory staring frustrated at her blank notepad.

When the waiter took away their plates, and Logan ended yet another phone call, Rory decided this was her chance.

"So, the interview? Maybe we could start now that lunch is out of the way." she said quickly before he could say anything else. He smiled at her and nodded.

"Good. So, first of all, maybe you could tell me why you requested _me_ to interview you. I mean, the last time I saw you, I was pouring the contents of a bottle of Champagne over your head." she said as she pulled out her tape recorder and placed it on the table. Logan's smile widened.

"I wanted the best. I didn't want someone who was going to praise my every achievement. I deal with enough sycophants at the office. I figured that any girl with the balls to dump champagne over my head is worth taking a risk on. You are up for the challenge, I assume?" he questioned in that arrogant tone of his. Rory laughed.

"Oh yeah, I think I can do it justice." she assured him and took a sip of the wine Logan had ordered.

"Good." his smirk grew and he leaned back on the chair, never moving his eyes from hers. Rory caught him staring at her and felt a little uncomfortable under his gaze. She felt her stomach flutter as those dark brown eyes burned through her.

"So, what do you want to ask me?" Rory drew her stare from him and referred to her notes.

"I guess we should start at the beginning. What was it like growing up as the heir to the Huntzberger fortune?"

Just as he was about to answer her, his cell phone started ringing. Rory sighed as he picked it up and apologised.

"Huntzberger." he answered. Rory rest her head in her hands and watched as a frown grew over his features. "No, that's not what I told him to do." He glanced at Rory and removed his napkin before pushing out his chair and walking outside. Rory picked up another bread stick and began munching on it as she awaited his return.

Twenty minutes later, she saw him re-enter the restaurant looking thoroughly harassed. He sat down across from her and took a drink of his scotch before peering over at Rory with an apologetic look on his face.

"I am so sorry." he said sincerely. Rory waved it off and sat back in her chair.

"I guess that's what comes with the job, huh?" she smiled. Logan nodded and rolled his eyes.

"You have no idea."

"Well, why don't you fill me in?" Logan glanced at his watch and noticed that he was running late.

"Another time? I'm late for a meeting with some clients." he was pushing out his chair before Rory had time to answer. She stared at him incredulously.

"But…the interview?" she wondered. Logan smiled his trademark smile causing her to feel uneasy.

"I'll call you." At that, he was gone. Rory let out a heavy sigh of frustration before leaning over the table and grabbing his glass. She poured the remnants down her throat and then gathered up her belongings. As she was about to leave, the waiter came over and cleared his throat.

Rory looked up at him as she pulled on her coat and smiled. "Can I help you?"

The waiter looked at her nervously and then spoke. "Will you be paying by cheque or credit card?"

Rory narrowed her eyes at him, not quite understanding his question, before it hit her. Logan had left without paying for lunch. She would have to foot the bill. Shaking her head in disbelief, she cursed him under her breath as she pulled her purse from her bag and gave the waiter her credit card. _Un-freaking-believable!_

RLRLRLRLRL

"So that was it? You never got your interview?" Francie asked intrigued by the events of Rory's dalliance with the Huntzberger heir.

"Nope." Rory sipped on her espresso as she stood in the elevator regaling her friend with her story. "He just said that he'd call me and left."

"I can't believe he left you to pay for lunch." she frowned. "It's not like he doesn't have the cash."

"He was in a bit of a rush. He probably just forgot." Rory shrugged as they reached their floor and headed to their desks.

"Yeah, but still." Francie tossed her coffee cup in the trash and hurried up to catch up with Rory only to stumble into the back of her as she stood frozen to the spot, staring at a huge bouquet of flowers sitting on her desk.

"Are those from Daniel?" Rory sat on her chair unable to remove her eyes from the display. "Daisies, aren't they your favourite? That was very considerate of him." Francie said as she perched herself on the edge of Rory's desk. Rory leaned over and picked up the card. She opened it and read the message. It wasn't from Daniel. He would never do anything as sweet as send her flowers. He would never know what her favourite flower was. The flowers were from Logan. The card read:

__

Apologies for taking off like that. I hope you will forgive me and let me take you out to dinner. You can ask me any question you want. I'll even let you pour another bottle of Champagne over my head. I'll pick you up at eight. I promise, this time I won't be late.

The jackass who forgot to pay for lunch.

Rory smiled despite herself as she read the last part. She couldn't believe he had gotten her flowers. Well, actually she could. That was just like him to try and worm his way into her good graces through some grand gesture. She had watched him do it with Caitlin enough times. But did he seriously think that some daisies and a stupid card were going to get her to voluntarily spend another evening in his company?

RLRLRLRL

Rory barged through the front door to her apartment, stumbling over Stefan in a rush as she headed towards her bed room to get changed. Logan was picking her up in half an hour and she had no time to get herself both mentally and physically prepared for another encounter.

She searched through her drawers for clean underwear and then ran to her closet to find something to wear. As she stood trying to decide between her green dress and her blue one, she got the fright of her life as Caitlin appeared behind her holding a cup of coffee.

"Hey." she said simply. Rory jumped and turned to face her, wide eyed and full of fear.

"What are you doing here?" she squeaked. Caitlin narrowed her eyes as she studied her closely.

"I live here." she said slowly. Rory smiled forcibly and turned back to her closet, deciding on the blue dress.

"Yeah, but what are you doing here? Don't you have plans tonight?"

"No. Unless you count doing laundry and giving Stefan his bath." She perched herself on Rory's bed as Rory frantically pulled off her shirt and jeans before running into the bathroom to jump in the shower.

"Why don't you go to the movies or something?" She called out from the bathroom. Caitlin frowned and lay back on Rory's bed, still holding her cup of coffee.

"What? By myself?" she asked confused.

"Why not?"

"Do you have any idea how many rapists and murderers are out there? Plus, that's kind of pathetic." she yelled back. Rory shampooed her hair and rinsed it off quickly as she tried to think of some way to get rid of Caitlin for the evening. The last thing she needed was for Logan to arrive and Caitlin to see him. She would either get the wrong idea and think it was a date and think she was going behind her back. Or she would try and convince her to follow her plan of revenge. Right now, Rory needed neither and just wanted to get this night over and done with. Without any drama.

She finished her shower and dried herself off before slipping on her dress and heading back into her bedroom where Caitlin was now sitting up staring at her sceptically.

"Where are you going dressed all fancy?" she questioned. Rory shrugged, her mind trying to think of some excuse. She said the first thing that came to mind.

"Francie! I'm going out with Francie. I would invite you but I know how much you two can't stand each other so…" Caitlin rolled her eyes.

"I have no idea why you are friends with that woman." she complained. Rory narrowed her eyes and began drying her hair. She glanced at the clock and felt a nervous flutter in her stomach. Logan would be arriving in fifteen minutes.

"Actually, I think I'm going to go order pizza." Caitlin declared and Rory groaned in frustration. She weighed up her options. She could call Logan and tell him that she would meet him somewhere else or she could come clean with Caitlin and tell her who she was really going out with and deal with the consequences. Deciding to go with option number one, she reached for her cell phone before remembering that she didn't have Logan's cell number.

"Great." she sighed. She finished fixing her hair and then applied some make up before taking one last look at her appearance in the mirror, and then headed for the door. She would just wait for Logan downstairs. She passed the living room to see Caitlin sitting on the couch with Stefan snuggled up beside her. She smiled at the sight and then reached for her coat.

"I'm heading out now. I'll see you when I get back." she told her. Caitlin turned to look at her and nodded.

"Bye." Rory stood frozen to the spot for a few seconds feeling like she was the worst friend in the world. For some reason she felt like she was betraying Caitlin by going out with Logan. Even though it was purely business, she still felt horrible for lying to her about it.

Waving her goodbyes to Stefan who had glanced at her briefly, she turned to head for the door, just as there was a knock on it. Jumping slightly, Rory felt herself panic as she remembered that Logan was picking her up. Quickly, she ran to the door and opened it to see Logan standing with a smirk on his face, looking very handsome in his suit. Rory grabbed his hand and shut the door behind her and then proceeded to drag him through the hallway and onto the elevator before Caitlin decided to come wave her off.

Logan followed after her with a slightly puzzled look on his face. As they stopped in the elevator and the doors closed, Rory let out a huge sigh of relief.

"What was that all about?" he enquired curiously. Rory glanced up at him and adjusted the coat she had thrown on in a hurry.

"I just…I'm really hungry." she explained as she leaned against the wall. Logan trailed his eyes over her body, lingering on her chest as she took deep breaths.

"So, then the mad rush to get out of here has nothing to do with you not wanting Caitlin to know who you are going out with tonight?" he asked quirking an eyebrow at her. Rory narrowed her eyes at him.

"No. And I am not going out with you tonight. This is purely business." she informed him haughtily. Logan laughed and moved towards her.

"So, if this just business, then why the hurry? Why the secrecy?" Rory felt her pulse quicken as he closed the gap between them. He raised his arm up, leaning it against the wall beside her head and smiled down at her. Rory's heart was in her mouth as he lowered his head down, his eyes fixed on her lips. She was sure he was going to kiss her, and the thing that confused her most of all was the fact that, in that moment, she wanted nothing more than to feel his soft lips on hers. Ninety-nine percent of the time she thought he was an arrogant, infuriating jerk. However, she couldn't deny her attraction. He was a hot, arrogant, infuriating jerk.

"Rory." he whispered into her ear giving her goose bumps. She closed her eyes and let the scent of him wash over her. She could feel his breath on her neck and felt her own breathing go shaky. Just as she felt his other hand snake around her waist and the faint touch of his lips on her neck, the elevator doors dinged open and they were brought back to reality.

Opening her eyes, she gazed at him hesitantly before pushing him away and then slid past him out of the elevator. Logan paused for a moment, giving himself time to calm down before following after her.

"So, where are we going?" she asked trying to pretend like nothing had happened between them in the elevator. Logan cleared his throat and ran a slightly unsteady hand through his hair.

"The Plaza." Rory stopped to look at him. She narrowed her eyes at him.

"The Plaza?"

"Well, I would have invited you back to my place, but I'm having some work done so I'm staying at the Plaza for a couple of weeks."

"Why can't we just go to a restaurant? Why do we have to go to your hotel room?" she asked warily. She really didn't think it would be a good idea for them to be left all alone. Not that she was afraid to be alone with him, she was just concerned as to how it would look, professionally speaking.

Logan smirked as he reached passed her to open the door to his car. "You're not afraid to be alone with me are you?" Rory felt her skin tingle as he brushed past her.

"No. No, that'll be fine." Logan studied her for a second before she slid gracefully into the passenger seat. Logan walked quickly around to the other side and slid in beside her.

"I just figured this way we won't have any interruptions or distractions. I switched off my phone and I'll put up a 'Do not disturb' sign on the door."

Rory's eyes widened. "That won't be necessary." she informed him. She didn't want people thinking that they were doing anything nefarious. Logan shrugged and started up the engine.

RLRLRLRL

"The Penthouse, very impressive!" Rory said as her eyes scanned the room, her face full of wonderment. Logan followed her in and closed the door behind them. "Just one of the many perks of being Logan Huntzberger huh?"

"I guess. " Logan shrugged as he reached for the Scotch bottle. He gestured toward her. Rory made a face and shook her head. "Right. I forgot you have more expensive tastes."

Rory smiled broadly as she remembered the champagne incident fondly. Moving further into the room, she slid off her coat only to be surprised by Logan as he took it from her and handed her a glass of wine. Her investigative instincts got the better of her and she began looking around the hotel room. It was the kind of place she had only seen in movies. So grand in scale. So exquisitely decorated. She was afraid to sit down on the sofa for fear of messing it up.

She felt his eyes on her and turned back to see Logan staring at her intently. He gave her a half smile and indicated for her to sit. She did as he suggested, trying hard not to show how nervous she felt. She decided she needed to get herself back in the game and not let herself be so affected by Logan's charm. Somehow he had this innate ability to make her forget herself and lose all sense of professionalism. The thing she had worked so hard to hone throughout all of these years could be so easily chipped away every time he smiled at her or looked at her the way he was at that moment. She told herself to remember that this was just like any other assignment and that in fact she didn't even like him. Not in that way.

"I imagine all of this would make it harder to cut those apron strings." she managed, trying to get back to the point of this evening. Logan furrowed his brow and cocked his head to the side.

"What do you mean?"

"You've never thought about breaking away? Going on your own?" she quizzed him, always looking for that exclusive. Logan smiled and took a sip of his Scotch.

"I never said that." he admitted and lay back on the couch. Rory shifted a little, a smile playing on her lips.

"So, the rumours are true?" She brushed the hair from her face and took out her notepad from her purse, ready to write down whatever he told her.

"Which rumours are those?" he asked knowing full and well what she was talking about. The smirk on his face gave him away.

"The rumours about you planning to leave your fathers company and set out on your own." she filled him in. Logan's smile grew wider as he stretched his arms over the back of the couch, his eyes remained firm on her.

"You really are an Ace reporter aren't you? You don't miss a thing." he admitted slightly impressed. Rory remained unmoved by his compliment. Her pencil at the ready, she awaited his response.

"Its my job." she said simply. "So?" Logan leaned forward, keeping his eyes on her.

"So…I'm hungry. What do you say we continue this over dinner?" he pulled himself up and reached for the phone to order room service. Rory sighed in frustration and slumped back on the couch. She took a sip of wine and watched as Logan finished placing his order. He smiled back at her. "I hope you like Chicken."

Rory shrugged her shoulders and pouted slightly. Logan smiled at her petulant behaviour. He walked over to where she was sitting and sat down beside her, his leg pressed against hers.

"Off the record?" he asked in a hushed voice as if the walls had ears. Rory nodded and leaned toward him.

"Of course." Logan looked at her for a moment and then smiled.

"I am planning to leave HPG. I'm just biding my time. I have something in the pipeline. There are just some kinks to work out."

"What do you have in the pipeline?" Logan lost himself in her gaze for a brief moment. He had to remind himself that she was still a reporter. He had to be careful around her. If word got back to his father of what he was planning, he would do everything in his power to make sure it didn't happen. No, he had to play his cards close to his chest for now. This meant keeping his mouth shut around very hot, but very clever reporters.

"Let's not get into the specifics." he said simply, moving away from her. Rory frowned as he pulled away and lay back on the couch.

"But the specifics are the best part." she stated causing Logan to laugh. He placed his hand on her thigh, not in a sleazy way. Rory felt his touch burning through the thin material of her dress, burning her skin. She glanced back at him as he sat there watching her reaction. He smiled and then leaned forward; his face was mere inches from hers. Rory felt her breath hitch and her gaze fell onto his oh so kissable lips. Suddenly she started thinking about Caitlin, sitting at home miserable because of the man sitting in front of her. The man she was seconds away from kissing. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and pulled away from him.

"Did you say something about chicken?" she asked, breaking the tension between them. Logan frowned and then smiled at her.

"Its on its way."

"Great."

RLRLRLRLRL

Rory stood on the balcony, clutching a glass of wine and staring off into the distance admiring the view from Logan's penthouse hotel room. They had finished with dinner and Logan was inside talking to his sister, Honor who had called the hotel with an emergency. From what Rory could gather she and her husband had had an argument and Logan was trying to calm her down.

Closing her eyes, she felt her body shiver as there was a slight breeze in the air. Rubbing her arm with her hand, she heard the door open behind her. She felt the warmth of Logan's body sidle up behind her as he joined her on the balcony. Suddenly she didn't feel so cold anymore.

"It's a beautiful view." she whispered causing Logan to smile as his eyes roamed over her. He definitely agreed.

"You can say that again." he said admiringly. Rory turned to face him and was surprised by how close he was.

"I meant _that_ view." she gestured behind her. Logan smirked.

"So did I." Rory rolled her eyes and smiled. Logan noticed her shivering and quickly peeled off his jacket and slung it over her shoulders. Rory gratefully accepted and breathed in the scent of him around her. Logan took a step towards her and grasped the glass from her hand. He sat it down and then closed the gap between them once more. He could feel his heart thumping in his chest as those big blue eyes stared back at him. He watched her as her hair blew in the breeze. Reaching up, he caught a loose tendril and brushed it behind her ear. Rory felt herself melting at his intimate gesture. As much as she tried to fight it. As much as she tried to deny the fact that she was attracted to him, she knew deep down that it was a losing battle. One look into those penetrating eyes of his and she was sure he could see right through her and into her soul. However, she would not go down without a fight.

"Logan…" she breathed as he lowered his face closer to hers. "…the interview?"

Rory closed her eyes in anticipation while trying to prevent the inevitable from happening. Logan smiled down at her before whispering in her ear.

"It can wait." he said softly before lightly capturing her lips with his own. He placed soft kisses on her lips, teasing her until she let out a moan and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him hard against her in a bruising kiss. Logan snaked his arms under his jacket and around her waist as her mouth opened up to him invitingly. Their tongues duelled for supremacy as their bodies clung to one another. They both felt a wave of relief wash over them. Relief to finally be in each others arms after wanting it for so long.

Kissing Rory was everything he expected and more. He could stay like this forever, basking in the sweet taste of her lips.

Rory struggled to catch her breath as Logan continued to devour her fully. His hands were everywhere at once. He groped frantically, desperate to feel as much of her as possible as the kiss intensified. They broke apart briefly so they could refill their lungs with as much oxygen as possible.

"You're just trying to distract me from doing my job." she breathed huskily. Logan smirked.

"Is it working?" he asked in a low tone.

"No."

"Then I guess I'll just have to try harder then." Logan's hands were in her hair, Rory's were tugging his shirt from his pants. She ran her soft fingers over his hard, muscular back as their mouths indulged in another hard, passionate kiss.

He broke the kiss and moved his attentions to her neck. He licked and sucked to his hearts content. Rory moaned as he found her pulse point.

"This isn't very professional." she admitted as he nibbled on her collarbone. "I'm not supposed to make out with the people I'm interviewing."

"Well, don't I feel special then." he murmured. His breath against her neck caused the hairs to stand on end. He leaned in for another kiss, this time with so much ferocity it made her head spin. "You have no idea how long I have wanted to be able to kiss you like this."

Rory smiled into the kiss. She had some idea. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him feverishly. Logan deepened the kiss. He couldn't get enough of her. His hands were resting on her hips but quickly they lowered. His fingertips played with the hem of her dress. He then slid his hand under her dress and stroked her thigh as he lifted her leg higher and wrapped it around his waist. Rory's brain registered something rather prominent pressing at her core and instantly decided things needed to be calmed down drastically. She wasn't going to let him have his way with her right there on the balcony of the Plaza Hotel. She wasn't her mother. As much as her body was reacting to him, her head was telling her to put a stop to this as soon as possible.

"Logan." she breathed shakily as she felt him tucking his fingers into the waistband of her panties. She quickly moved her hand down to stop him as he tugged gently on her underwear. "Logan, wait..."

He moved his hand away but continued his assault on her nervous system. He stroked his hand up over her waist as he pressed her up against the pillar.

"Logan…" she tried to get his attention but he was too far gone. She placed her hands on his chest to gently push him away, but he just kept kissing her and started moving backwards, heading inside. His lust filled brain thinking that's what she wanted. "Logan."

They stumbled inside and onto the couch beside the door. Logan broke away and gazed up at her as she struggled against him. "Rory."

Rory pushed at him and managed to slide off of him. She stood readjusting her dress as he ran an unsteady hand through is hair. He moved so he was sitting.

"I think I should go." Rory said as he looked up at her. He grabbed her hand and stood up. She lost her balance and fell into him. He pulled her against his chest.

"Stay." he pleaded in a hushed tone. She felt his heart thumping hard in his chest and immediately reached up to kiss him thoroughly. Logan responded only too willingly before she pushed him away.

"I'm not having sex with you, Logan!" They both stared at each other, panting heavily. Logan moved towards her as she fixed the strap of her dress which had fallen down in all the commotion. They stood staring at each other, breathing deeply.

"Rory…" But she cut him off by spinning on the spot and headed for the door. She grabbed her coat and purse on the way out. As she held the door open, she looked back at him. Logan stared after her, his eyes full of lust and longing. She said nothing. She just left the room and closed the door behind her. Logan let out a sigh and sat back down on the couch. He put his head in his hands as the events of the night sank in.

RLRLRLRLRL

Rory stared at her computer screen. She was staring at a blank page. She had been staring at the same blank page for over an hour as the events from the night before swam through her mind, preoccupying her brain.

Sitting on her desk was an extra large cup of coffee which she was going to need as she hadn't slept at all the night before. Images of Logan's lips on hers had kept her up all night tossing and turning. She couldn't believe what had happened. What she had let happen. If Caitlin found out, she would never talk to her ever again. If Yvette, her boss found out she would be looking for another job.

She couldn't believe how far she had let it go. If she hadn't stopped it when she had, she didn't want to think about what she might have got up to with Logan Huntzberger on the balcony of The Plaza.

"Hey you!" Francie's voice snapped her back to reality. "How did it go with Huntzberger last night?" She asked planting herself on her desk. Rory frowned. Francie smirked.

"That good, huh?"

"Gilmore?" Yvette's assistant interrupted them. Rory looked up wide-eyed. "Yvette wants to see you in her office."

A feeling of dread washed over her as she reluctantly pushed out her chair and headed towards Yvette's office. She vaguely heard Francie wishing her luck.

"Hi Rory. Come on in." Yvette greeted her in her usual cheery tone as Rory stood anxiously at the door. She peeled herself off the doorframe and walked inside closing the door behind her.

"Take a seat." Rory did as she was told and waited for the ground underneath her to open up and suck her in. She wished she was anywhere but where she was right then. Yvette sat in her chair behind her desk and clasped her hands before staring intently at Rory.

"I have to say, I'm very disappointed in you, Rory." she started. Rory froze. Disappointed? What did that mean?

"I spoke with Logan this morning…" _Uh oh!_ "…and he told me that he wanted you taken off the story." Rory's eyes flew wide open; her jaw fell to the ground.

"He what?!"

"He said that he felt it would be in both your better interests if we had someone else interview him." Rory's mind flew into a rage as she jumped up from her chair and began pacing the room. "Now, I'm sorry that you couldn't put aside your own personal feelings here, Rory. I thought you were a better journalist than that. But maybe I was wrong. It has been known to happen, not very often though."

Rory couldn't believe what she was hearing here. He had asked to have her removed from doing the interview. Why? Because she wouldn't sleep with him? Was he really that low?

Then it hit her, Caitlin's words from before; _'He's just waiting to screw you and then screw with your mind'._

She was right. Everything she had said about him was bang on. Logan obviously wanted her to sleep with him the night before, but she turned him down. This was his pathetic attempt at revenge. Going to her boss and getting her taken off the story.

In that moment as her temper soared, she had never wanted to kill someone as much as she wanted to kill Logan Huntzberger.

RLRLRLRL

The anger radiated from her as she stormed off the elevator and onto the fifth floor. Logan's floor. She had driven over to the HPG building to have it out with him. She was going to give him a piece of her mind.

As she reached the desk of his assistant she decided that the element of surprise would be her best bet. So she passed the desk and barged into his office where he was sitting behind his desk talking to someone on the phone. He quickly hung up as he noticed the angry look on her face. His assistant ran in behind her and asked if he wanted her to call security. Logan assured her everything was okay. Rory laughed.

"You might want to rethink the security thing. Once I'm through with you…"

"Rory, what's going on?" he asked cagily, remaining behind the desk where he suspected it was safer.

"You are a son of a bitch, do you know that? I can't believe you would do that. You got me fired." she blew up, her eyes blazing.

"I didn't get you fired." he insisted.

"You got me removed from your story. You made me look completely incompetent in front of my boss."

"Look Rory…"

"All because I wouldn't sleep with you?" she said incredulously. "Not that I should be surprised though. Caitlin was absolutely right about you. Everything she said. All you do is screw people and then screw them over. And if you can't get your own way, then you try and destroy their life, their career. The career they worked long and hard for. They didn't have it handed to them by Daddy dearest." she went on; there was so much venom behind her words. Logan didn't know what to say.

"Rory would you just listen…"

"No, Logan. Go to hell." she spat at him and spun on her heal and left. Logan slouched down on his seat as the look in her eyes haunted him. It was a look of such hatred. She hated him. Rory Gilmore, the woman he had been so enthralled by, hated him with a fiery passion and he had no idea how to fix it.

RLRLRLRLRL

Rory stomped through the front door and into her bedroom. Caitlin heard her throwing things around and decided that she should go see what was wrong. Creaking open the door, she peered inside to see Rory sitting on the edge of her bed taking deep breaths.

"Are you okay?" she asked hesitantly. She didn't want to give her a new target. Rory snapped her head around in Caitlin's direction and sneered. Caitlin seriously considered just leaving her alone. But she figured seeing as she was her friend and all…

"Rory?"

"Do you still want to get back at Logan?" she growled. Caitlin narrowed her eyes and cocked her head, unsure where she was going with this.

"Sure." she said slowly. Rory turned away and then pulled herself off the bed. She glanced back at her and smiled.

"Count me in."


	5. Chapter 4: Always Leave Him Wanting More

****

A/N: It's been a while since I updated this story, but wait no more. Here is chapter four. Ha, that rhymed! I hope it's up to previous standards. I love writing this one and I can't wait to continue. I hope you feel the same way. Please read and if you enjoy it, leave a review. It would be most appreciated. Thanks guys!

I don't own the show.

Just Her Luck!

Chapter Four: Always Leave Him Wanting More!

Rory sat at the kitchen table, sipping her coffee, staring off into space, enjoying the silence. She loved this part of the day. She had a lot of things going on in her life and it was nice to just relax before the hectic day began.

"Good morning." A deep voice disturbed her from her thoughts. Rory looked up and smiled as Daniel kissed her forehead. "Sleep well?"

Rory nodded and continued drinking her coffee. She noticed him dressed and holding his briefcase.

"You're leaving?" It was only 7.00a.m.

"Yeah, I should probably go make nice." he told her as he stole her coffee. Daniel had shown up late last night after getting into an argument with his wife. Rory let him stay the night even though every bone in her body had told her not to. She didn't know what was wrong with her. She just could never say no to him. Was she that desperate not to be alone that she would settle for whatever crumbs he threw her?

"Okay." she whispered. Daniel smiled down at her and kissed her fully on the mouth.

"I'll call you later." With that he was out the door brushing passed Caitlin as she entered the kitchen.

"Was that…?" She brushed the sleep from her eyes and let out a yawn as Rory glared at her.

"Yes."

"He spent the night?" Caitlin poured herself some coffee and sat on the chair across from Rory.

"Yes." she answered simply, not wanting to get drawn into it. Caitlin must have understood as she didn't speak another word regarding Daniel.

"So, have you had any Logan sightings lately?" she asked changing the subject. Not that Rory was too thrilled about talking about him either. It had been two weeks since she had agreed to Caitlin's plan and she hadn't heard a peep out of Logan. Although, she had heard through the grapevine that he was in Germany on a business trip. She had no idea when he would be returning. In all honesty, she wasn't looking forward to his return as it meant she would have to actually go through with the revenge plan Caitlin had concocted. Rory was having serious doubts as to whether she could go through with it.

Rory shrugged her shoulders and poured herself another coffee. "He's away on business. Last I heard." she explained. Caitlin frowned and pursed her lips before shrugging it off.

"Well, that just gives us more time to prepare." she said simply. She got up from her chair and went over to the counter, opening a drawer she pulled out a white folder and placed it in front of Rory.

"What's this?" Rory wondered as she sipped on her coffee. She noticed the name written on the folder.

"It's the 'Logan' file." Rory sighed and closed her eyes before turning to look at Caitlin.

"The Logan file?"

"Yep. It has everything you ever needed to know about one Logan Huntzberger. His likes, his dislikes. Hobbies, friends, family. Everything."

Rory opened the file cautiously and began leafing through its contents. She couldn't believe how thorough Caitlin had been. Everything you ever wanted to know about Logan Huntzberger was there written in black in white. Rory flicked her eyes back to take in Caitlin's serious face.

"It even has his favourite colour." Rory added. Caitlin smiled.

"Blue. Well, more of a light blue."

Rory didn't know whether she should be impressed or terrified that she was living with someone so obviously obsessed with her ex fiancé that she could remember everything down to his favourite colour.

"There's a section in there specifically about what he looks for in a woman." she told her taking the folder from her, she found what she was talking about and showed it to Rory. "Logan likes his woman to be classy but also flirtatious and playful."

Rory nodded as a million thoughts raced through her mind. She took a big gulp of her coffee and continued to read through the file. Caitlin hovered over her, watching her closely.

"I think the next time you see him, you should play it cool. Not too cool. Let him think you're interested but that he is going to have to work for it. He loves the chase."

Rory glanced up as she shut the file over. Caitlin downed the rest of her coffee and crossed the room.

"I should go get ready. I have a job interview." she washed out her mug and headed for the doorway leaving Rory alone with her 'Logan' file. "Rory?"

Caitlin stopped and turned back to Rory. Rory looked up, a slightly puzzled expression on her face.

"Always leave him wanting more." Rory gave her a half smile and then slumped back on the chair as she left the room. She reopened the file and stared down at it. She could feel a headache coming on. What had she gotten herself into?

RLRLRLRLRLRL

Francie was relaxing. As she waited for the coffee to brew, she read an old magazine she had found laying around. She had had to search for it as most of the magazines in Finn's apartment were old Playboy magazines, and as open minded as she was, she felt no desire to ogle naked women over breakfast.

She had spent the night at Finn's for the third night running and was beginning to feel at home. While he showered, she made the breakfast; it was a nice little routine they had perfected over the space of a week. She had met him out at a club one night and found herself unable to resist his amiable charms. One thing led to another and here she was, dressed in his sweats making breakfast. She hadn't been to work all week having phoned in sick. In fact, she hadn't been back to her own apartment either.

She had just become so consumed with Finn that everything else fell by the wayside. She couldn't get enough of him. However, after checking her voicemails, she found she had numerous messages asking where she was. So, she decided that today was the day she would force herself back to reality and go back to work, before she found herself unemployed.

Someone knocking at the door pulled her from her thoughts, and as Finn was busy singing in the shower, she took it upon herself to answer the door.

Adjusting her messy hair, she unlocked the door and was surprised by who was standing before her. Usually she would be happy to greet the blonde best friend of the man she was sleeping with, but out of solidarity with her best friend, she fixed him with her icy stare making him feel very uncomfortable as the smile slowly fell from his face.

"Hey Francie!" Logan smiled warily. Francie turned away from the door and returned to her magazine.

"Finn's in the shower." she said casually. Logan stood for a second before following her inside, closing the door behind him. He glanced over towards the bathroom hearing Finn singing some unrecognisable tune. "I'd offer you some coffee, but I'm mad at you. So I won't."

Logan frowned as he perched himself on a stool in the kitchen, removing his bag from his shoulders.

"So, why are you mad at me, exactly?" he asked cautiously. Francie was not a woman who you wanted to get on the wrong side of. She looked up and glared at him.

"You know what you did." she said firmly as if talking to a naughty five year old. Logan tried not to laugh. As scary as she could be, he loved winding her up. He found it fun seeing her snap.

"I've been in Germany for the last two weeks. Maybe you can refresh my memory."

"Don't play dumb, Logan. What you did was really sucky and low. I mean, I thought you liked Rory, but then you go behind her back making her look incompetent to her boss. You could've ruined her career do you know that? Now Yvette will think that she can't handle big assignments. She'll be forever stuck covering garden parties and tea dances. I hope you're happy. All because she wouldn't sleep with you!" Francie rambled. Finally she took a breath as she finished scolding him.

"Okay, first of all, it was never my intention to get Rory into trouble or to make her look inferior or incompetent to Yvette. I was trying to help her, and in return help myself."

Francie looked at him with a puzzled expression. Logan went on. "You are aware of how I feel about Rory, yes?"

"I thought so." she shrugged.

"I assume Rory told you what happened that night at my hotel room?" Francie nodded silently. "I was just trying to help her. I didn't want her to feel unprofessional or guilty if we were to…get involved. I just wanted to remove any obstacles."

Francie's scowl disappeared to be replaced by a watery smile. "That has got to be the most screwed up romantic thing I have ever heard." she exclaimed as she poured them both some coffee.

"Yeah, well Rory didn't see it that way. I've never seen her so pissed." he said as he sipped his coffee.

"Rory doesn't hate you." she said pulling herself up onto the counter. "She was just angry. I'm sure she'll have calmed down by now. You should try talking to her. Explain the situation. I'm sure she'll see the funny side of it."

Logan gave her a sceptical look and Francie relented. "Okay. Maybe not. Leave it to me. I'll think of something."

She began gently rubbing her chin as the cogs in her mind tried to come up with a plan to get Rory and Logan talking again. She had always thought Rory and Logan were perfect for each other, even when he was engaged to Caitlin. Whenever she was around them, she could see there was a spark between them. But Rory was too nice for her own good. She would never have gone behind Caitlin's back. The wench had some kind of hold over Rory that prevented her from seeing her for what she really was; a lying, manipulative, twofaced shrew. Logan deserved better and so did Rory. And with God as her witness, Francie was determined to bring them both together.

The sight of Finn drying himself off as he padded into the living room, gave Francie an idea. Logan greeted Finn warmly as Finn planted a kiss on Francie's shoulder.

"Tonight!" she yelled out in excitement catching both men by surprise. Finn and Logan looked at each other in confusion and then back at Francie.

"What about tonight, Love?" Finn asked tentatively as he dried off his hair. Francie jumped off the counter and started jumping up and down on the spot clapping her hands. "Is she having a fit?"

Logan shrugged as Finn placed his hands on Francie's shoulders trying to get her to calm down and make some sense.

"Tonight!" she repeated. "Tonight is Finn's club's opening. You're going, right?" she asked Logan.

"Well, I am his silent partner." he nodded and Francie started jumping up and down again and giggling like a hyena. Finn was beginning to worry about her.

"I'll get Rory to come with me tonight. And you two can talk…or whatever" she said in a sing song voice. Finn shook his head and groaned.

"I don't know how she'll appreciate being set up like that, Francie." Logan didn't want to make things worse between himself and Rory. Francie waved him off and returned to her thoughts as she planned the evening ahead of them.

"This is going to be perfect!" she exclaimed and disappeared into the bedroom leaving Finn and Logan alone in the kitchen.

Finn gave Logan a look. Logan just shrugged and picked up his bag. "Hey, you're sleeping with her."

RLRLRLRLRLRL

Rory was busy typing, her mind fully focused on finishing her article when she felt two hands go round her face covering her eyes. She moved, trying to shrug whoever it was away. Turning around she was greeted by the smiling face of Francie; the missing reporter.

"Well, hello stranger!" Rory smirked and then turned back to her computer screen. Francie slipped off her coat and sat at her desk beside Rory.

"Hey, so have I missed much?" she asked innocently. Rory's smirk grew wider as she finished typing and saved her work before turning back to Francie, fixing her with a curious stare.

Francie rolled her eyes and smiled dreamily as Rory's eyes bore into her. "What?"

"Where have you been, missy?" Francie's face turned the colour of her hair as she lowered her head in embarrassment.

"I've been…around." she replied coyly.

Rory laughed and crossed her arms over her chest, waiting to be filled in on all the juicy details of her latest hook up.

"You haven't been around _here_, your place of employment." she said sweetly. Francie relented and decided that she had to tell her. She was no good at keeping secrets, especially one as exciting as this one.

"I was with Finn. Okay?" she gave in, a bright smile on her face. Rory's eyes widened in surprise. She knew that Finn had always had a thing for Francie, but she didn't think she was ever very interested in him.

"Finn? As in Finn? Australian Finn?" Francie let out a sigh and switched on her computer. She had tonnes to catch up on.

"Yes. That Finn." Rory's smile widened and she pulled her chair closer, awaiting more information. Francie duly obliged. "I went out the other night and Finn was there with some girl. Well, we got talking and I guess one thing led to another…"

Rory laughed excitedly. "I can't believe you finally gave in."

Francie shrugged. "He's sweet and hot as hell. He definitely knows his way around in the bedroom department, if you know what I mean?"

Rory nodded. "I get it." She didn't want to know that much about Finn.

"So, you spent the whole week with him?"

"Well, not the whole week."

Rory shook her head and laughed as she pulled out her notes for her next story. "When are you seeing him again?"

Francie smiled. Rory didn't see the mischievous glint in her eye as she spoke. "Um tonight. It's his new club's big opening tonight."

"What's the name of the club?"

"Red!" Francie said simply. Rory smiled and shook her head. As if it would be named anything else!

"Hey, you should come with me." Francie said as if the idea had just come to her. Rory furrowed her brow as she read through her notes, contemplating the idea. "Come on. It'll be fun. Its Finn's big night. He needs all the friendly faces he can get. What do you say?"

"Okay." Rory said casually without putting much thought into it. It didn't occur to her for one second that Logan might be there or that Francie was trying to set them up.

"Great!" Francie smirked to herself as she began typing. _Great!_

RLRLRLRLRL

Having battled her way inside the packed club, Rory scanned the crowd searching for any sight of her friend's fiery red hair. However, it seemed in honour of the name of Finn's new club, most people had died their hair auburn or were wearing a wig. Rory had to laugh to herself as she fought her way through the crowd to the bar. She shouted over the noise to the barman as she ordered a drink and then turned back to see if she could spot any familiar faces.

"Rory!" she heard someone calling her name. Turning around she saw Colin standing beside her with a smile on his face. Rory returned his warm greeting and gave him a friendly hug. Colin could be a bit of an ass sometimes, but deep down he was a good guy.

"Hey!" she raised her voice. Colin placed an order at the bar and once his drinks arrived, he took Rory's hand and guided her through the masses towards a booth near the back of the club. As she got closer, she could make out Francie and Finn canoodling in the corner. Her eyes flew wide open as she noticed the third person at the table. It was Logan.

Logan was beginning to feel a little uncomfortable as Francie and Finn became attached at the mouth. He was about to go find Colin when his eyes landed on the woman who had inhabited his thoughts for what seemed like forever. She was walking alongside Colin with a smile on her face. Logan watched as her chestnut curls bounced freely framing her face. She was dressed in a knee length black dress that clung perfectly to every curve. As his eyes trailed over her long, luscious legs, he suddenly felt very warm. And it didn't have anything to do with the fact the club was packed full of people. By the time his brown eyes met her baby blues, he felt his breath catch in the back of his throat in anticipation of the frosty reception he was expecting. But instead of anger, he saw surprise and maybe a little bit of nervousness in her eyes.

"Okay, drinks are here. You can put each other down again." Colin joked as he placed everyone's drinks in front of them. Rory stood awkwardly beside him as Logan's eyes remained fixed on her. Francie glared at Colin and then jumped up excitedly as she noticed Rory standing.

"Rory! You made it!" she hugged her and then trailed her eyes over her outfit. "You look hot! Don't you think she looks hot, guys?" Although she was referring to the whole group, it was clear she was only asking Logan's opinion.

As Colin moved to sit down next to Logan, Francie grabbed a hold of his arm and yanked him over to her side of the table, shoving him in alongside Finn. "Rory, you sit there."

Rory glared at Francie as she saw she was pointing to the spot beside Logan. She sighed and took her seat next to the blonde, who slid over to give her more room. She looked up meeting his eyes for a moment, giving him a small smile. Logan returned it as he took a swig of his signature drink. Francie watched them closely with a big smile on her face. She then decided it was time to let them have some time alone to talk. So, she nudged Colin on the arm and nodded over towards a tall, leggy redhead standing at the bar.

"Hey Colin! That girl over there is totally checking you out." she said loudly so the whole table could hear. Colin looked up and took in the sight. Before he had to ask, Francie had slid out of the booth and was gesturing for him to leave quickly. Logan and Rory watched them as they glared at each other. Francie smiled sweetly and sat back down next to Finn.

Logan shook his head as a smile plastered itself over his features. Francie really needed to look up the definition of the word 'subtlety'. As was best exemplified when she turned to Finn and began whispering in his ear. A minute later, Finn declared that he had to go check the front door and that Francie should go with him, thus leaving Logan and Rory alone in the booth.

Rory was beginning to grow suspicious as to her friend's motives for inviting her along this evening.

She shifted positions, she didn't realise how close she was to Logan. As her leg brushed against his, they both jumped as the tension built around them. Logan gave her a smile as she lowered her gaze away from him while her fingers played with the hem of her dress.

Suddenly, Rory remembered that she was supposed to be acting cool around him. She was supposed to be flirting with him and making him want more. But all she could think about was how close his leg was to hers, and how incredible he smelled. Feeling under prepared, she slid out of the booth and stood frozen for a moment as he peered up at her with a look of confusion on his face.

"I have to go to the bathroom." she blurted out and went to the left. She soon realised that she was going in the wrong direction and turned back, passing Logan who was still staring at her.

She smiled lamely. "Wrong way." Logan smirked as she walked away, bumping into someone as she went.

He couldn't help but be confused as to how she was acting around him. She didn't seem too mad at him. She definitely wasn't as scary as she was the last time he saw her when she came barging into his office. She seemed unsure of herself around him, which considering he had known her for a while now, was rather surprising. Although, he couldn't deny how adorable she looked as she became flustered and embarrassed. Logan had been with plenty of women who were always so confident and sure of themselves. Rory was different. Sure she was confident in her abilities as a writer and journalist, but in other ways she always underestimated herself. It was those qualities which had drawn Logan to her over the time he had known her. It was those qualities which made him want to get closer to her. To break down the barriers and find out everything there was to know about Rory Gilmore.

RLRLRLRLRL

Rory finally made it into the sanctuary of the ladies restroom and hid in a stall while she dialled Caitlin's number. After a few rings, Caitlin answered and Rory let loose.

"Logan is here. He's here. And I don't know what to say or do. Should I act aloof or should I flirt with him. I can't flirt with him. I can't flirt. I'm a terrible flirter. I'm not ready for this. He's going to see right through me. He's going to know what we're up to. He probably already knows. Oh God, what if he knows?" she finished freaking out and waited for Caitlin to speak. "Hello?"

__

"Oh are you finished? I was waiting for your second wind to strike."

She said sarcastically. Rory frowned and lowered her voice as she heard people enter the room.

"Caitlin!" she whined, quietly.

__

"Calm down, Rory. You're ready for this. You've read the file. You can do this."

"What if I can't?" Rory pouted as she sat on top of the toilet. She heard Caitlin sigh.

__

"Lorelai Leigh Gilmore, pull yourself together and go seduce that boy!"

she yelled through the receiver causing Rory to cringe.

"Cait-"

__

"Rory, just be yourself. But not too much."

Rory rolled her eyes and took a deep breath.

__

"Don't screw this up."

were her parting words before she hung up.

Rory closed her eyes and tried to think of what she could say to Logan. It was pretty clear that Francie was going to make it her mission to make sure they were alone for the majority of the night. She would have to think of something to talk to him about. Or maybe Caitlin was wrong. Maybe he went more for the strong, silent type. She let out a groan and pulled herself up off the toilet, unconsciously flushing it even though she hadn't actually used it. She washed her hands and then went back out into the main hall. She scanned the crowd searching for Francie among a sea of red wigs, finally spotting her making out with Finn on the dance floor. She smiled and then turned back in the direction of her table and Logan. As she walked back, she kept telling herself to be cool and not to throw up all over him. She was pretty sure that would put a dampener on the evening.

Finally reaching the table, she saw Logan sitting alone slumped against the back of the seat. When he noticed her standing there, he straightened up and smiled at her.

"Hey!" he said warmly as she slid back into the booth, this time across from him. If she was going to have to flirt with him, she thought it would be better if he wasn't so close. "I was beginning to think you got lost."

Rory smiled as he leaned across the table trying to be heard over the music. He pushed a glass towards her. Realising that he must have been to the bar in her absence, she gratefully accepted and took a sip.

"It's a good turn out!" she said, raising her voice. Logan strained to hear her.

"What?!" he yelled.

"I said, 'It's a good turn out'!" she repeated. Logan frowned and gestured towards his ears indicating that he still couldn't hear her. Much to her horror, he slid out of his side of the booth and joined her on her side. He smiled and leaned towards her.

"What did you say?" He whispered in her ear. The feel of his breath on her skin, made her feel light headed and the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as he turned to face her while taking a sip of his scotch.

"It's a good turn out." she said for the third time that night. Logan smiled as their eyes locked and she found it hard to remember anything Caitlin had told her. She lost herself in his chocolate brown eyes. She had completely forgotten that the last time she had spoken to him was to yell at him. She couldn't remember for the life of her why she would ever be mad at such a handsome…snap out of it, Rory!

She shook her head and reached for her drink, trying to refocus her mind. It didn't help with him staring at her.

"So, how was Germany?" she managed to get out. Logan scratched his head and furrowed his brows.

"I didn't get to see a whole lot of it. I spent most of my time locked up in conference rooms being bored to tears." he explained. Rory laughed quietly as she pictured the scene.

"So, you didn't see David Hasselhoff?" David Hasselhoff? Where did that come from? She frowned as she tried to rationalise to herself how talking about the former Baywatch star was conducive to good flirting.

Logan gave her a little half smile and placed his drink back on the table.

"I hear he's big in Germany." she said lamely. Logan nodded and sat back on the chair. His hand was inches from her hand. He itched to reach out and tangle his fingers with hers.

Deciding that he should probably use this alone time to try and apologise to her, he cleared his throat and stared back at her.

"Look, Rory. I'm really sorry about what happened. I never meant for it-"

Rory cut him off. "Don't worry about it, Logan. Its ancient history." she told him and oddly, she meant it. She wasn't angry at him any more. Well, not really. Well, maybe a little bit, but the scent of his aftershave was playing havoc with her thought processes.

"Do you know what I find amazing?" she said, quickly changing the subject.

"What?"

"The fact that we both went to Yale at the same time, but we never met. We never knew each other. That's always seemed strange to me." she took another drink of her martini and sunk back into the cushion of the chair. She started to feel a little more relaxed in his presence. She was still super aware of him being so close, but the alcohol seemed to numb her anxieties.

Logan laughed and shifted so he was closer to her. His leg pressed against hers. Rory didn't seem to notice.

"I knew who you were." he admitted with a playful smirk on his face. Rory looked at him questioningly.

"I used to read your articles when you were on the staff at the Yale Daily News. They actually inspired me to do some writing. Not that I ever turned anything in." Rory inclined her head to the side, studying him closely as he went on.

"I remember reading that article you wrote about the teachers strike in Brooklyn. How they were being threatened by the students at school. It was really real and vivid. You painted the picture so clearly." Rory's eyes widened, stunned by his admission.

"That was the first article I ever had published at The Post." she said slightly dumbfounded that he had read it.

"I know. I sort of stumbled across it accidentally. Then I started looking out for your work."

Rory's stunned expression turned more wary. "You don't have a wall covered with pictures of me, do you?" she asked him half joking, half serious. Logan laughed and placed his hand on her leg. Giving it a little squeeze as Francie interrupted them.

"Come dance with me, Rory." Before either Logan or Rory could protest, Francie grabbed Rory's hand and pulled her up. She climbed over Logan, locking eyes with him as she passed. He watched her as she was dragged to a spot not far from him. He was mesmerised as he saw her eventually relax enough to dance with her friend. Logan's eyes roamed over her body as she swayed her hips in time to music. It was like everyone else disappeared from the room and she was under a spotlight. All of his attention was focused solely on her. He couldn't take his eyes off her. She was amazing.

As one song ended and another began, Rory was enjoying herself. She wasn't usually the dancing type, but she felt comfortable enough and free of her inhibitions. She felt confident and…desired. Especially going by the looks Logan was giving her. She couldn't help sneaking a peek back at him and was oddly thrilled to see that his eyes were fixed on her. She sent him a sexy smile and then a thought occurred to her. She gestured to Francie and made her way over to the booth, feeling more exhilarated with every step she took.

She finally stopped in front of Logan, whose eyes trailed over her body, making her feel naked. She took a deep breath and reached out her hand. Logan gazed up into her big blue eyes, seeing a mixture of emotions fighting for control. He finished his drink and then, smirking, he took her hand, lacing his fingers through hers. He followed her as she led him through the crowd. His gaze falling lower as he watched the gentle sway of her hips. She stopped suddenly and turned to face him. He noticed that she seemed less sure of herself and so he decided to take the lead. He placed his hands on her hips and fixed his eyes on hers as they let the beat of the music take over.

They were drawn closer together by some invisible force as the music went on, soon they were pressed flush against one another and Logan could feel her heart thumping in her chest as she wrapped her arms around his neck. His gaze fell from her eyes, which were now closed, down to her mouth, where he noticed her biting her lip. She was nervous and he loved it. He couldn't believe this beautiful, sexy creature could be so shy and unassuming of herself.

Feeling her soft body moving against his own, he slid his hand to the small of her back and pressed his body against hers, allowing her to feel exactly what kind of effect she had on him. Rory's eyes flew open as their hips connected. Logan felt his chest heave as he noticed the lust in her eyes and the small, shy smile that played on her lips as he continued to grind against her. Maybe she wasn't so shy after all. He smirked as she moved her hands up over his chest and around his neck. She moved her face closer to his and he was sure she was going to kiss him. Noticing her hesitate, Logan decided enough was enough. He wanted her now. He grabbed her hand and led her through the crowd into the stock room. He backed her up against the wall, neither speaking. The only noises heard were their heavy breathing. Logan lowered his head and let his lips linger above hers. He moved his arms so he had her trapped against the wall. As both their chests heaved in anticipation, they were broken from their spell as one of the bartenders entered the room searching for more chips.

"Um, sorry." he apologised as he noticed their rather compromising position against the wall. He grabbed what he needed and quickly made his way back into the bar. Logan turned back to Rory and smirked.

"Where were we?" he whispered in a husky tone. As he moved in to brush his lips against hers, Rory realised what exactly was going on. She realised where she was and who she was with, and what she was about to do. Suddenly, Caitlin's words flooded through her foggy mind.

__

Always leave him wanting more!

As Logan closed the distance between them, Rory fought against every natural impulse in her body. She wanted to kiss him. More than anything, she wanted to feel his lips on hers. But instead, she moved out of his embrace and stood trying to get her breath back. Logan opened his eyes and looked at her confused.

"What's wrong?" he asked while running an unsteady hand through his messy hair. Rory smiled and then, surprising both him and herself, she moved back to where he was standing and crashed her lips to his, leaving him breathless. Logan wound his fingers through her hair and deepened the kiss immediately. He was drunk with the taste of her. Rory moaned into the kiss as their tongues duelled for supremacy. Then, using the reserves she had left, she broke the kiss and moved out of his embrace.

"Francie will be wondering where I am." she panted. She gave him one last teasing smile and then sauntered in the direction they came. Logan furrowed his brow in frustration as he watched her disappear through the door. He let out a heavy sigh and rubbed his temple as he tried to regain his composure. What little game was she playing? Whatever it was, he didn't care. He wanted more. He wanted so much more.

****

A/N: So, did I leave _you_ wanting more? Ha! If so, please review. I'd love to hear what you have to say. Thanks.


	6. Chapter 5: Phase Two

****

A/N: So, I've updated pretty much all the rest of my fics this week, I figured I should crank out another chapter of this one. I hope you like it. I've included some flashbacks in this one purely to show some of the back story. It's not going to be a regular thing like with STL, but we'll see how it goes. Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to read this and all of my other stories. Big thanks to those who have reviewed. It's really encouraging to know that you enjoy it and I'm not just writing this for myself. Ha! Keep it up and I'll keep writing. Hopefully some other people will feel guilty enough to update their own fics. You know who you are!! LOL

I don't own the show.

Just Her Luck!

Chapter Five: Phase Two

****

Sixteen months ago

__

Rory paid for her coffee and raised the cup to her nose, breathing it in. It wasn't much use seeing as she couldn't smell anything due to the dose of the flu she was currently suffering from. Her nose was bunged up, she had a soar throat and her eyes felt heavy. Her taste buds were not fully functional either, but that didn't stop her from having her daily dose of caffeine. She might not be able to smell or taste it properly, but it still helped her get through the day. God, she was starting to sound like a junkie.

She sipped on her coffee as she made her way towards an empty table. It was her usual table. It was placed right in the corner beside the window. It wasn't actually her table, but she frequented the place so often that it was understood that no one else would sit there.

It was about 5.00p.m and the little coffee shop was fairly quiet. She had taken the day off work due to her ill health and after spending a large part of the day being harassed by Caitlin, she had decided to seek sanctuary in her own little safe haven. She knew Caitlin was just trying to help, but she just wanted to be left alone. So she had gotten out of bed, got dressed and headed for her regular haunt.

Settling into her seat, she pulled out the book she was reading from her bag and sipped on her coffee. She picked up from where she left off and was soon transported into the world of Elizabeth Bennett and Mr Darcy.

As she got caught up in a coughing fit, she became aware of someone standing watching her. She looked up while covering her mouth so as not to spread her germs, and was met with a pair of familiar brown eyes staring back at her. Rory continued coughing as he sat down on the empty chair across from her. He pulled off his scarf and unbuttoned his coat while staring at her with a frown on his face.

"You don't look so good." he said plainly. Rory smiled weakly as she eventually stopped coughing.

"Gee, you really know how to make a girl feel special. Whatever happened to that famous Huntzberger charm?" she said sarcastically. Logan smiled that killer smile and studied her closely.

"You should be at home, in bed with a nice cup of coco." He reached forward and laid a hand on her clammy forehead feeling her soaring temperature. She immediately pulled away and scowled at him.

"I was, but your over fussy girlfriend was driving me insane." she told him in an annoyed tone. Logan laughed and indicated to the waitress for his usual. This wasn't just Rory's usual haunt, but Logan's also. They had discovered that about a month ago. Now it was a regular occurrence for them to meet each other there, not for any nefarious reason. They would sit for hours sometimes in silence just reading. Or they would find themselves chatting or debating over coffee. Neither would admit that everyday they would secretly look forward to their daily encounters.

"Have you seen a doctor?" Logan asked as he ran a hand through his messy hair. Rory rolled her eyes.

"I'm fine. Its just a little cold." she brushed it off just as another coughing fit took over. Logan shook his head. She looked terrible and she sounded even worse.

"Rory, I know you like to think that you are invincible, but sometimes you just need to admit defeat and take a day off." he told her, his hand finding its way to hers.

"I took the day off. Well actually, I was forced to. My boss didn't want me to come in and get everyone else sick."

"Ah, so you admit it? You're sick?" he smirked. Rory glared at him.

"I'm not sick!" she said stubbornly and then started coughing again. Logan just smiled and sipped his coffee, his eyes remained on her. Even with a fever and a cold, he still couldn't keep his eyes off her. She looked so cute with her rosy red cheeks and permanent scowl.

RLRLRLRL

"So, how did it go?" Caitlin asked as Rory sat down on the chair opposite her. The brunette let out a tired yawn and rest her head against the back of the chair.

"What?" Rory asked as she rubbed her eyes. Caitlin sighed and turned off the TV.

"Last night with Logan?" she asked impatiently. "I mean, was he interested? Did he fall at your feet, what?"

Rory smiled softly as she remembered the events of last night. She could still feel his lips on hers.

"I think he was interested." she said slowly as she hugged her knees to her chest.

"You think he was?"

"He seemed interested." she added. She didn't want to tell her about the kiss, or the dance. She knew that it was all part of the plan to seduce Logan, but she didn't feel too comfortable telling Caitlin about the intimate details of their encounters. She was having trouble differentiating between her own personal life and the 'plan'. Caitlin obviously still had feelings for Logan and as much she encouraged her to pursue him, Rory didn't want to upset her.

"How so?" Caitlin narrowed her eyes at Rory waiting for her to fill her in.

"Well, we talked, and we danced…"

"And?" Caitlin was sitting at the edge of her seat waiting to find out what had happened between them.

"And…we had fun." she shrugged as she shifted off the chair and headed for the kitchen. Caitlin followed her.

"Fun?" she repeated. "Did you at least kiss him?" Rory froze as she faced the counter and slowly turned to face her friend.

"Maybe." she said hesitantly. Caitlin's face fell briefly before her game face returned.

"Did he kiss you or did you kiss him?" she enquired.

"Um…" Rory frowned trying to remember the specifics. "I don't really remember." she lied.

"Well, did he get into it? Did he seem like he wanted more?" she wanted more information. Rory studied her closely as the images of the night before flashed through her mind. He had definitely wanted more. The thing she wouldn't admit was that she wanted more too. More of him.

"I think so. I guess you'd have to ask him." she brushed her off and went about making herself some coffee.

Caitlin sat down on the chair at the dining table and stared off into the distance. Rory glanced back at her to see what she was doing.

"Cait?"

"It's time for phase two." she said quickly. Rory frowned and poured herself and Caitlin some coffee.

"Phase two?" she asked as she handed her a mug and sat down across from her. Caitlin nodded.

"It's time to start bumping into him 'accidentally'." she informed her seriously. Rory raised her eyebrows and sat back against the chair.

"Okay." she said uneasily.

"There's this little coffee shop that he goes to pretty much everyday. It's called 'Java Heaven'." Rory's eyes went wide as she mentioned the name. "Do you know it?"

"Um…yeah. I know it." Rory shrugged trying not to give away the fact that she knew it very well and she knew that Logan was a regular as up until a few months ago, she was a regular too.

"Well, I think you should make a point of hanging out there. You're bound to bump into him there and you can get talking and…Rory? Are you even listening to me?" she asked with a frown on her face as Rory seemed to drift off. She was thinking about all the times she had 'bumped' into Logan at 'Java Heaven' in the past. It had become a daily thing and she had never told Caitlin about it.

"What?" she snapped out of it. "Oh sorry."

"You need to stay focused if this is going to work." Caitlin informed her.

"Right. So…Java Heaven?" she asked. Caitlin sighed and then went about telling her all about the place.

Caitlin spent the next ten minutes filling Rory in on things she really didn't need filling in on seeing as she knew the place like the back of her hand. However, Rory listened quietly, nodding at all the appropriate points while inside her body was filling with guilt. She had never told Caitlin about her and Logan being regular coffee buddies. Not because she wanted Logan all to herself, but she had to admit she had liked just hanging out with him. He was good company and they had a lot to talk about. They would debate about their favourite books and authors. They would argue about everything else, but as soon as the coffee arrived they would melt into companionable silence and then spend the rest of the time just talking about anything and nothing.

Caitlin didn't know about this. It wasn't that she was trying to muscle in on her boyfriend, she just found herself unable to break out of the routine. She liked having him in her life, even if all she ever felt was confusion in his presence.

The sound of her cell phone ringing brought her back to the present and Rory quickly answered it when Caitlin went to make them some more coffee.

"Hello?"

__

"Hey Gorgeous!"

It was Daniel. Rory shifted uncomfortably in her chair and lowered her voice as she talked to him.

"Hey."

__

"So, what are you doing tomorrow night?"

Rory felt herself smiling. Whenever Daniel asked her that, she knew it meant he could get away and wanted to see her. She hated the little thrill of excitement that coursed through her body at the thought.

"Um, nothing exciting."

__

"Meet me at The Plaza. I'll book us a room."

"Okay."

__

"See you, gorgeous."

He hung up before Rory could reply. Caitlin handed her a fresh cup of coffee and she stared down at it. She felt strange. She felt guilty. She felt guilty about agreeing to meet Daniel for obvious reasons, but this was different. She felt like she was the one cheating…on Logan.

RLRLRLRLRL

The smell of bacon woke Logan from his slumber. As he cracked open his eyes he realised how sore his back was after spending the night on Finn's sofa. Sitting up he let out a yawn and ran his hand through his hair. Slowly, he pulled himself off the couch and followed the smell into the kitchen where he walked in on Finn and Francie making out against the counter. He smirked and then rolled his eyes at the two of them. They couldn't keep their hands off one another.

"The bacons burning!" he said as he pulled open the door to the refrigerator and took out a bottle of water. Finn and Francie pulled apart immediately. Finn went back to cooking the breakfast and Francie sat down at the island.

"Morning, mate! Sleep well?" Finn enquired as he shot a look in Francie's direction. Francie blushed and Logan groaned.

"Why did you let me sleep on the couch? My back is killing me." Logan complained.

"You crashed out. You try moving you." Francie told him. Logan opened his bottle of water and took a swig as he sat on the stool beside her. Francie continued smiling at him. He eyed her suspiciously; she was making him feel very uncomfortable.

"What?"

"Nothing." she smiled and then continued staring at him.

"What?!" he was growing frustrated with her. Francie giggled and clapped her hands together excitedly.

"You and Rory. Sitting in a tree. K.I.S.S.I.N.G." she started singing. Logan looked at Finn as he sorted breakfast.

"Has she gone insane?" he quizzed him. Finn just shrugged and handed him his plate. "Will you stop singing?"

"I'm sorry. I just can't help it. You two are so cute." Francie said in a babyish voice while pinching his cheeks.

"Finn, get this crazy woman away from me." Finn duly obliged and pulled her to the other side of the island so she could sit next to him. Logan watched them interact as they ate breakfast. He couldn't help but smile as they bickered and then stared lovingly into each others eyes. They had only been dating for about a week but he could tell that they were crazy about each other. It was nice to see. He was happy for them. If only he could sort out his own love life.

"So, are you going to fill us in or what?" Francie asked him. Logan frowned and took a bite of his bagel.

"Fill you in on what?" he asked as Francie glared at him.

"Last night. What happened? You and Rory disappeared for a while. Did you two…?"

"No. We just…kissed." he admitted.

"Oh please. You were practically mauling each other on the dance floor. You really expect us to believe you just kissed?" Finn piped up. Logan rolled his eyes and sipped on his water.

"Okay, so it was a little bit more hot and heavy but nothing happened. We got interrupted." he said remembering the night before with Rory. She seemed to weave some kind of spell over him. He never usually got so carried away with girls, but with Rory, he couldn't get enough of her. First in the hotel room, then last night, it had actually been painful to let her go. He was addicted to the feel of her soft skin under his touch. The smell of her hair drove him wild and those eyes…

"But you would have?" Logan didn't answer his friend. He was too distracted thinking about Rory Gilmore; the first girl to ever find her way into his heart.

"Huh?" Logan made a start on his breakfast while Finn and Francie looked at each other knowingly.

"Why don't you invite her to Honor's next week?" Finn suggested. Logan stopped shuffling food into his mouth and stared at him briefly, narrowing his eyes.

"Who's Honor?" Francie asked them.

"My sister." Logan answered, his eyes still fixed on his friend.

"Every year we all head back to Hartford for Honor's birthday weekend." Finn filled her in.

"Oh. How come I didn't know you had a sister?" she quizzed Logan. She had known him now for over a year and he had never mentioned anything about his family. She knew all about his crush on Rory, but he had never really talked about his family.

"It never came up." Logan shrugged. Finn turned to Francie and smiled.

"By the way, don't plan anything for next weekend. You're coming with us." Francie beamed at him and kissed his cheek.

"Great." she said excitedly then turned to Logan. "You have to invite Rory. It's the perfect opportunity. Get her away from here, from Caitlin. I'm pretty sure she would be very responsive to any attention you may give her." she said with a wink. Logan shook his head and smiled. He was unable to hold it in.

"I think that is a very good idea, Huntz." he picked up his now empty plate and moved to put it in the sink. "Unless you want to spend the weekend being set up with your sister's friends?"

Logan shuddered at the thought. He loved his big sister dearly but her never ending crusade to find him the perfect woman to settle down with usually ended with him having to make up some excuse so he could leave early. Having Rory there might get her off his case. Plus, he would definitely enjoy the company.

"I'll think about it." he muttered as he munched on his breakfast. He didn't have to think about it at all. He was going to ask her, he just hoped that she said yes.

****

One year ago

__

Logan sat on the couch with his feet on the table and a beer in his hand. It had been a long day and he was enjoying just relaxing. Caitlin was working late on a shoot and he had decided to surprise her when she got back.

However, it was Logan who was surprised when the front door banged shut and in came a slightly dishevelled looking Rory. She staggered into the living room trying to take off her coat. In her inebriated state, she found it a struggle. Logan watched in amusement as she collapsed onto the chair with one arm stuck in the sleeve of her coat. She wrestled with it for a few minutes but was unsuccessful. Eventually, she gave up and let out a sigh of frustration. She looked over at him and immediately he felt his stomach lurch, she had been crying. Her face was all blotchy and he could see more tears threatening to fall.

"Rory, what's wrong?" he leaned forward and reached out to place his hand on her arm. The sound of her name seemed to ignite the misery within her and she let out a huge sob. Instantly, Logan was on the floor kneeling in front of her wrapping her up in his arms. In the six months since he and Catlin had been together, he had grown rather fond of her coffee obsessed best friend. Maybe a little too fond.

"Rory, talk to me." he was really worried now. Rory continued sobbing and clung to his shoulders. He rubbed her back soothingly trying to get her to calm down. But she was becoming slightly hysterical. "Rory…"

Rory pulled away and wiped her hand over her damp face. Logan smiled at her and brushed her hair out of her face. Rory opened her eyes as her body shook with the pain. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?" he smiled softly at her as she tried to gain some composure. Logan took her hands in his and fixed his eyes on hers trying to read her.

"H-He b-broke u-up. H-he w-ants to see other, other people." she managed and immediately she burst into tears again. The 'he' she was referring to was her jerky boyfriend, Sean. Logan had only met him twice and from those two meetings, he knew he was not good enough for her.

"He told you that?"

"No, w-well yes. But I-I saw him with h-her." she hiccupped and Logan furrowed his brow.

"He cheated on you?" Logan felt his anger bubbling inside him. Rory nodded before more tears flowed freely down her cheeks. Logan pulled her close against him and she buried her head in the crook of his neck.

"Do you want me to kick his ass? Because I will." he said in all seriousness. Rory didn't reply she just kept crying on his shoulder.

Logan rubbed her back soothingly and then kissed her hair. "Come on Rory, he is so not worth your tears. You are too good for him. You're a million times too good for him."

Rory pulled away and stared at him. Logan smiled at her as she tried to calm herself down. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and cupped her face in his hands. "You deserve so much better than that loser. I mean, look at you. You are beautiful, talented, and smart as hell. Any guy would be lucky to have you in their life." he said firmly believing everything he was saying.

"You think so?" she asked in a small voice. Logan laughed and kissed her on the forehead.

"I know so." he assured her and then smiled down at her. Her next actions surprised him when she leaned forward and he felt her brush her soft lips over his. He closed his eyes just as she drew back and as he felt his heart thumping in his chest, he opened his eyes and crashed his lips down on hers in a hungry, passion-filled kiss. Her light peck seemed to ignite something inside him and he immediately wanted to taste more of her.

He kissed her like his life depended on it. His hands were in her hair and once she had gotten over the initial shock of what was happening Rory kissed him back matching him for fervour. Suddenly they broke apart like they had just received some kind of electric shock to the system. Their eyes remained locked as they tried to catch their breath. They remained silent, neither able to speak.

"I'm sorry." Rory pushed passed him and drunkenly made her way to her bedroom. Logan stared after her absently running his fingers over his lips.

What the hell just happened?

The next morning, Rory woke up to the sound of banging in her head and at her door. She muttered something about dying under her breath and then eventually she slid out from under the covers and opened her bedroom door to see Caitlin beaming at her.

"What are you doing? Go away. I'm trying to sleep or die. Either one." she shrugged and glared at her best friend. Caitlin ignored her hung over friend and excitedly held her left hand up.

"Look." she yelled. Rory cringed at the sound of her high pitch voice.

"Why am I looking at your hand, Caitlin?" Rory rubbed her eyes and leaned against the door frame.

"Look at my fingers." she told her.

"Did they grow overnight or something?" Caitlin sighed frustrated with her.

"No." Rory noticed the shiny ring on her finger and folded her arms across her chest.

"You bought a new ring?"

Caitlin shook her head. "Nope. Logan bought it."

"Great." Rory said mustering up as much excitement as she could at…six o'clock in the morning!

"Caitlin…"

"It's an engagement ring. Can you believe it? Logan asked me last night." she squealed so loudly Rory felt her ear drums cave in on her.

"An engagement ring?" Her eyes widened as she suddenly remembered being engaged in something with Logan herself last night.

"He asked me to marry him." Rory's jaw dropped to the floor as Caitlin threw her arms around her.

"I'm getting married! I'm getting married to Logan Huntzberger! Can you believe it?" She skipped away to her bedroom leaving Rory gaping after her. She couldn't believe it. She couldn't believe what she had done. She kissed her best friends fiancé.

Oh My God!

RLRLRLRLRL

"So…spill!" Francie shut the door over as she slid into the break room. Rory was making some coffee and turned to her friend.

"Spill what?"

"Don't play stupid with me, missy. I know you hooked up with Logan last night." Francie eyed her knowingly. Rory rolled her eyes and shook her head as she handed Francie a cup of coffee.

"I did not hook up with Logan. We kissed." She said trying to play it down. Francie wasn't buying it. "Okay, maybe it got a little heated but…"

"I know you didn't have sex. Logan already filled us in this morning."

"He told you?" she furrowed her brow.

"Well, he didn't go into any details about it. He was the perfect gentleman." she placated her. Rory felt herself relax and a light smile form on her face.

"So, are you going to see him again?" Francie huddled up beside her. Rory rolled her eyes. Francie was like a dog with a bone sometimes. She just wouldn't give up.

"Maybe." Rory shrugged and sipped on her coffee while Francie grinned at her.

"Okay, so my turn. I think I'm falling for Finn." she blurted out just as Rory took another sip of coffee. She fought the urge to spit it all over her.

"What?" she gulped and stared bewildered at her friend. "It's been a week."

"I know. Its crazy, right?" she admitted. "But I just, I'm practically living at his place and he's just so…I can't stop thinking about him or wanting to touch him or be around him. I've never felt like this before. Its all moving so fast, but it feels right, you know."

"Well, what does he say about it?"

"Nothing. I mean, we haven't exactly had the talk yet. But he is the one who keeps asking me to stay over and he asked me to go with them to Hartford next week. Ooh, which by the way, you will be invited also."

"What?" Rory asked confused as her friend changed the subject at the drop of a hat.

"Next weekend. We're all going to Hartford to stay with Honor, Logan's sister. It's her birthday." Francie filled her in. "You better come. You cannot leave me on my own with Finn, Logan and Colin."

Rory remained silent as she contemplated spending a weekend alone with Logan. She _so_ wasn't ready for that.

RLRLRLRLRLRLRL

Rory was trying to focus on the book she was reading, but she was antsy waiting for Logan to show up. Her eyes were continuously drawn to the door whenever someone would enter. She was disappointed time and again when it wasn't him. She had been sitting there sipping on her coffee for just over an hour now. She was supposed to 'accidentally' bump into him there. But she couldn't do that if he didn't show up. Maybe Caitlin was wrong. Maybe he didn't come here anymore. Maybe she was just wasting her time.

With more determination, Rory focused her eyes on her book. She read the first paragraph before her eyes were drawn away again by the sound of someone approaching her.

"Hey, long time since I saw you here." Rory felt her stomach flutter as his voice warmed her. She gazed up into his caramel eyes and fought the urge to swoon right there. Logan smiled down at her. He then pulled out the chair across from her and sat down.

Rory studied him closely as he peeled off his jacket and let out a heavy sigh. He looked a bit rough. He clearly hadn't shaved and his hair was all ruffled. His eyes looked heavy and his face was pale and drawn like he hadn't had a good nights sleep. Compared to the last time she had seen him he looked awful. She blushed immediately as she thought about the last time she had seen him. She had been so forward, so un-Rory like. She had been pressed up against a wall and he was kissing the life out of her.

"I didn't say you could sit down here." she said stuffily trying not to seem like she had planned this whole encounter. Logan smirked.

"So then don't sit at my table." he said simply. Rory narrowed her eyes at him before realising that she was in fact sitting at his table, or their table. Without thinking she had picked their regular table. She didn't say anything, but she could feel Logan's eyes on her.

"What?" she looked up and glared at him. Logan chuckled and then took a sip of his coffee before unfolding his newspaper.

"Are you stalking me now?" he asked teasingly. Rory shook her head clueless as to how he would think such a thing.

"What are you talking about?"

"Well, I haven't seen you here in ages and then the day after we make out a Finn's club, you are here looking thoroughly hot, I might add." he eyed her mischievously.

Rory narrowed her eyes. "Don't flatter yourself. I just was in the area and fancied some coffee."

"Or you fancied some Logan. It's alright. It's nothing to be ashamed of. I completely understand. I am hard to get over." he said cockily. Rory shut her book over and leaned back in her chair.

"Could you be any more full of yourself?" she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Could you be any more sexier?" he asked in a husky tone that made her whole body tremble.

He leaned forward and slid his hand under the table and onto her leg. The butterflies returned as he slowly slid his hand higher up her thigh until a waitress came over and asked them if they wanted more coffee. Rory jumped and banged her knee off the underside of the table. Logan smirked as he sat up straight removing his hand from her leg. Rory tried to hide the embarrassment she felt and ordered another coffee. Logan kept his eyes on her as he finished off the last of his coffee. Rory blushed and then tried to shake it off.

"I n-need to go to the bathroom." she said nervously as she pushed out her chair and stood up. Logan raised an eyebrow at her and grinned.

"Is that an invitation?"

"No." she said as she made her getaway.

RLRLRLRL

The next day Rory returned to 'Java Heaven'. However, Logan had gotten there before her. When she entered he waved her over and she found him sitting at _their_ table reading a copy of 'The New York Times'. She couldn't deny the smile that crept over her face as she noticed the cup of steaming hot coffee sitting on the table waiting for her arrival.

"How did you know I was going to be here?" she placed her hands on her hips and then started unbuttoning her jacket. Logan smirked but kept his eyes on the paper.

"Because, you are madly in love with me and just can't keep away." He tore his eyes away from the paper and gave her the once over, trademark smirk still in place. "Am I right?"

Rory shook her head. He could be such an arrogant ass sometimes. "You're right about the not being able to keep away part. Although its not you I'm addicted to, it's the coffee. I forgot how good it is here."

"Yeah yeah."

Logan continued reading the article which had gotten his attention as she peeled off her coat and sat down. She took a sip of the coffee and impulsively let out a moan of appreciation. It tasted incredible. Logan's head instantly shot up and he stared at her in awe as she wiped the foam from her mouth.

"What?"

"Well, that is one way to get my attention." he quipped and folded the newspaper over. Rory blushed and lowered her gaze to her hands as her fingers began nervously tapping on the table. Logan smirked as he watched her and then placed his hand over hers. She immediately stopped tapping and looked up at him.

"So, how was your day, dear?" he joked and leaned closer to the table. His hand was still covering her hand. She tried not to focus on the feel of his thumb caressing her soft skin.

"My day sucked. Francie called in sick so I had no one to talk to." she said finally gaining some composure. She had to stop letting him affect her so much. Otherwise she would never be able to see Caitlin's plan through. In order to help herself focus she pulled her hand away and sipped on her coffee while reciting all of the bad things about him in her head.

__

Serial womaniser, huge flirt, dumped best friend, got me into trouble at work…extremely hot, incredible smile, body to die for, hair you just want to run your hands…no. He's a jerk, he's a jerk, he's a jerk!

"…I wouldn't be surprised if we heard the sound of wedding bells soon." Logan finished. Rory snapped out of her thoughts and her eyes flew open at the mention of wedding bells.

"What?"

"Well, I wouldn't put it passed Finn. He does have a reputation for being a bit spontaneous." She relaxed as she realised he was talking about Finn and Francie. _Wait. What?_

"You really think he would ask her to marry him? They've only been dating for a week."

"Yeah, but they've been dancing around each other for almost as long as I've known you. Sometimes, you don't want to wait. When you know, you know." he shrugged and finished his coffee.

"Is that how you felt about Caitlin?" she asked before she could stop herself. "I mean, you asked her to marry you after only six months."

"Yes and then six months later I saw sense and broke up with her," Logan added. His tone was more serious.

"What happened?"

"What do you mean?"

"With you and Caitlin? Why did you break up with her?" Rory was intrigued. The question of their break up had always made her curious. Caitlin didn't seem to know, hence the need for revenge.

"I had my reasons." he said simply. She could tell by the look he was giving her that this was not an area which he wanted to continue discussing. But she couldn't help herself.

"Which are?" Logan fixed her with a frosty stare. He shifted uncomfortably before lowering his gaze to her coffee cup.

"Your coffee's getting cold." And with that the subject was dropped. He started talking about his earlier meeting with his father. Rory watched him closely. She noticed how his whole body would tense as he talked about his father. His brow would wrinkle and he would replace that famous knee weakening smile of his with a frown. They really didn't have a very good relationship.

"So, are you still planning on quitting HPG?" she questioned him; the inner journalist taking over. Logan leaned back against his chair and smiled.

"There are still a few kinks to work out before I make anything official." This piqued Rory's interest. She sat up straight, her eyes widening in anticipation.

"But your going ahead with it?" she asked unable to hide her interest. Logan laughed.

"Maybe." he said coyly. "If I do, you'll be the first to know."

Rory smiled broadly and Logan laughed again. She was so much the consummate professional; dedicated to the job. She was always looking for a story, trying to find an angle. He had to admit that was one of the many things he liked about her; how focused and determined she was. Her passion and drive for what she did had ignited something in himself. She had inspired him so many times. Back at Yale, reading her articles for the Yale Daily News had inspired him to write something himself. Now, here he was, standing on the precipice of something new and monumental in his life and she had been the one who gave him the shove he needed. All those conversations over coffee, the phone calls when he was supposed to be talking to Caitlin, Rory had made him believe that he could do it. She had given him the confidence to follow through. When he did, he really hoped that she was around. In fact he hoped that she was by his side, holding his hand, whispering in his ear saying how proud of him she was.

RLRLRLRL

They hadn't even noticed how late it was until the staff at the coffee shop starting mopping the floor around them. Taking the hint, they fell out of 'Java Heaven' full of caffeine and laughter. As it was late and they were in New York, Logan insisted on walking her home. Rory had protested meekly but couldn't deny the thrill she felt when he placed his hand on the small of her back as they made their way the few blocks to her apartment.

He insisted on seeing her to her door and she hesitantly agreed. As they walked through the hallway sounds of muffled laughter echoed off the walls. Finally they arrived at her door and she turned to bid him goodnight.

"Thank you for walking me home. Not that you needed to. I am more than capable of walking home by myself." she rambled on. Logan's eyes sparkled as his smile grew.

"Oh I know." He nodded. "There is no one more capable than you."

Rory shoved him playfully and his smile broadened. She found herself staring at him, completely transfixed by the dimples in his cheeks and the way his eyes lit up.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" his smile faded and Rory rested her head against the wall.

"Your smile. I think it's my favourite feature of yours." she said softly. Logan took a step towards her closing the gap between them.

"Yeah?" he whispered huskily making Rory's whole body shiver. She nodded her reply keeping her eyes fixed on his.

"I love your lips. They're so soft and…" he reached up to run a finger over her lips. "…kissable."

His face was mere inches away from hers and her heart was pounding in her chest. She wanted him to kiss her more than anything in the world.

She closed her eyes as his warm breath washed over her. He braced his arm on the wall at the side of her head and gazed down at her.

"Rory?" He cupped her chin and moved closer. Rory opened her eyes and was surprised at just how close he was. His gaze fell to her lips as she nervously bit them. "Can I kiss you?"

Rory wanted to say yes. She was about to when she heard a noise coming from inside her apartment. Caitlin was still up. This might have been part of Caitlin's plan but she didn't think she would want to see them making out in the hallway.

Logan moved his hand to the side of her face, stroking the hair away softly. His eyes had darkened. He bent his neck and lowered his face to hers, moving in for the kiss. Instinctively, Rory moved her head to the side so he connected with her cheek.

"I should go inside." she tried to break free of his grasp, but he pulled her back and this time made sure his lips connected with hers.

It started out slow and tender but quickly heated up. Logan nibbled on her bottom lip before sucking it into his mouth. Rory melted into it and placed her hands on his shoulders as he pressed against her. His tongue parted her lips and entered her mouth in a frenzy. He slid his arm inside her jacket and around her waist. Rory couldn't think straight. All of her senses were heightened as he continued ravishing her mouth with his tongue.

Eventually the need for oxygen caused him to break away and he began nuzzling her neck. Rory flung her head back against the wall as his hands stroked over the curve of her waist and under her shirt.

At the feel of such an intimate invasion, her eyes flew open and she softly whispered in his ear in an effort to get his attention.

"Logan." she said softly. He nibbled on her collarbone making her moan and began sucking on her pulse point. Her breath hitched and she grabbed his face and pulled him up for one last mind numbing kiss before pulling away and panting. Logan rested his forehead against hers and smiled.

"Now that was some goodnight kiss." he commented and they both started giggling quietly in the hallway. He leaned and stole one last kiss before completely cutting off all contact. He took a few steps away from her and ran his hand through his hair. He then straightened out his clothes and smiled back at her. Rory blushed as she noticed the smeared lipstick on his face. She moved towards him and wiped her fingers over his mouth. He caught them and placed a sweet kiss on her fingertips. "I told you I loved your lips."

Rory giggled stupidly. Obviously the time without oxygen was severely affecting her brain.

"Goodnight Rory." He placed a soft kiss on her cheek lingering slightly as he felt the huge force field pulling him in. He resisted and then brushed passed her, leaving her staring off dreamily in the hall.

RLRLRLRLRL

Rory lay in bed staring at the ceiling. Her eyes were continuously drawn to the alarm clock and she sighed as her restless body wouldn't let her fall asleep. She couldn't shut off. Her mind was full of Logan and that kiss. She kept thinking about Caitlin and her plan and whether or not she would actually be able to go through with it. She was struggling already and they were only on phase two. She had no idea how many more phases there were.

Closing her eyes, she tried to empty her mind of all thoughts and let sleep take over her tired body. However, the sound of her phone ringing prevented that from happening. Groaning, she opened her eyes and reached over to the nightstand. She found her phone and looked at the caller ID. It was Daniel. Suddenly it hit her. She was supposed to meet Daniel at the hotel earlier. She completely forgot.

Biting her lip, she hesitantly answered her phone.

"Hey."

__

"Hey? That's all I get? Hey? How about what the hell happened? Where were you?"

He sounded mad. She cringed at the tone of his voice. She wracked her brain trying to think of an excuse to tell him. She couldn't very well say that she had spent the night hanging out with Logan. She definitely couldn't mention the kiss. Or any of the other kisses she had shared with him.

"I was with Francie." she blurted out surprising herself.

__

"Francie?"

"Yeah. She broke up with her boyfriend and she's been kind of down so I went round to her place to try and cheer her up." she lied into the receiver.

__

"Well, you could have called me to let me know."

"I know. I'm sorry."

__

"Its not like we get many opportunities to be alone. I thought you would have jumped at the chance…"

"I know. I should have called. I'm so sorry." The truth was Daniel hadn't even entered her mind at all in the last few hours. Her thoughts were occupied by someone else.

__

"Well, I have to go. Can I call you tomorrow?"

His tone sounded more than annoyed. Rory bit her lip. Here she was being faced with an opportunity. An opportunity to tell Daniel not to bother calling her. She could end it right there over the phone.

"Okay." she wasn't strong enough. Yet.

Daniel hung up and Rory returned to staring absently up at the ceiling. Why couldn't she do it? Why couldn't she just end things with Daniel once and for all? Did she still love him? She wasn't sure anymore. Did they have a future? Quite simply, no.

The sound of her cell phone ringing again made her sigh. She was sure it was Daniel phoning again. She found herself hoping that he was phoning back to tell her that it was over. That he couldn't do it anymore.

She answered the phone without checking who it was.

"Hey."

__

"So, there is something I need to ask you. I forgot to earlier, what with all the kissing and me losing control of my faculties around you."

Rory smiled. It wasn't Daniel.

"Hey _you_ kissed _me_. Do not blame me if you can't handle it." she teased him as she sank back into the mattress. Her whole body relaxed as his voice drifted over her. She heard him laugh.

__

"Give a guy a break. It's not my fault that I can't resist you."

"What do you want, Huntzberger?"

__

"What are you doing next weekend?"

She smiled as she remembered Francie telling her about the weekend away in Hartford.

"I don't know. Why?" she played it coy.

__

"Well, its Honor's birthday next weekend and I was wondering if maybe you wanted to come to Hartford with me. Be my date."

She chewed on her lip as she contemplated spending the weekend with him. She wondered what Caitlin would say. Would she see it as a good thing? Did it mean the plan was working?

__

"You still there?"

"I'm here."

__

"Francie will be there. And Finn and Colin and whoever he brings along. Plus Honor. You always got along with Honor. I'm sure she'd love to see you again."

Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and gave him the answer he was hoping for.

"Okay. Count me in." she smiled into the phone as she envisaged him smiling back at her.

__

"Great. Well, I'll let you get back to dreaming about me. I'll call you."

"Okay."

__

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight."


	7. Chapter 6: Mind Games

****

A/N: I'm so sorry for the long wait between updates. I've been busy with work, going through a serious case of writers block, and become addicted to Twilight. Anyway, here it is. Chapter Six. I hope it was worth the wait. Please read and review. Thanks.

Just Her Luck!

Chapter Six: Mind Games

Rory sat at her desk, her mind focused, her fingers tapping furiously against the keys on her computer. She was determined to finish typing up her article. If she was going to be spending the weekend in Hartford with Logan, Colin, Finn, and Francie for Logan's sisters birthday, she was pretty sure she wasn't going to be getting much work done; especially with Logan distracting her at every opportunity. She smiled broadly at the prospect of spending time with Logan away from the prying eyes of Caitlin. She wasn't sure how she was going to handle it.

She was trying to stick to the game plan but it was becoming increasingly more difficult to separate her own feelings with what she was supposed to feel. Whenever she was around Logan he just had this ability to make her forget about everything else and just lose herself with him. She had completely forgotten about her date with Daniel the previous night. She had lost track of time just talking to Logan about nothing in particular. That was the thing with Logan, they could spend hour's just making small talk and it was the most meaningful small talk she had ever experienced.

Rory stopped typing and rubbed the back of her neck with her hand as she let out a heavy sigh. She needed to stop thinking about him like that. She needed to close herself off. Become more aloof if she was going to pull this thing off for Caitlin. She needed to stop replaying every little touch and smile and kiss in her head over and over again. It was going to drive her insane and make it impossible to actually go through with the whole thing. She couldn't allow herself to fall for him.

__

Easier said than done.

The sound of her cell phone ringing snapped her out of her thoughts. She clutched the shiny metallic object and answered without checking the caller ID.

"Hello?"

__

"Well, hello there."

Rory grinned as she recognised his warm tone drift over the line. She tried to ignore the fact that her stomach flipped as she pictured his messy hair and playful smirk.

"Hey."

__

"So, whatcha doin'?"

"Just working." She practically sang down the line. "You?"

__

"Working. Thinking about when I get to see you again. That was some kiss last night."

Rory knew she was blushing, she could feel her whole face grow warmer as she remembered their goodnight kiss. If she was going to play it cool around him that was one thing she would have to avoid. Kissing him was seriously bad for her brain's cognitive processes.

__

"I was wondering whether you would be interested in joining me for lunch. We could pick up where we left off."

"I don't think that would be a good idea." She said seriously. It would be a very bad idea.

__

"You have to eat, don't you? Come on. I promise I will keep it strictly professional. I just want to see you."

"You saw me last night." Her smile widened and she rolled her eyes forgetting that he couldn't see her.

__

"Exactly. I saw you last night. I haven't seen you today. I want to see you today."

Rory laughed and then began chewing her lip as she got nervous at the prospect of seeing him again.

"I'm busy. I have to work. I have an article to finish. If you want me to come this weekend then I have to get this finished."

__

"Oh come on. You need to eat. I can't have you wasting away. I like those curves of yours."

Rory's cheeks grew bright red as his sultry tones drifted through her mind. Her stomach was doing back flips by this point and she silently cursed both herself for being so weak and him for being so tempting.

"Fine. I'll meet you at the usual place in one hour."

__

"Can't wait."

Rory took a deep breath as he hung up the phone and left her alone with her thoughts. She was going to hell. She was never going to be able to go through with the plan at this rate. Logan had too strong a hold on her. She needed to get her act together and stop allowing herself be reduced to a pool of jelly whenever he was around. Even over the phone he was too irresistible to her. Her attraction to Logan was something that had always been there under the surface but she had always been able to control it. Now, when she needed it the most, her control had deserted her and she didn't know what to do.

RLRLRLRL

"He what?!" Rory arched her eyebrows in fear as Caitlin spun back to face her. She had a rather surprised look on her face with a slight hint of anger brewing. Rory was glad she had waited to tell her when they were surrounded by plenty of witnesses.

"He asked me to go with him to Hartford. It's Honor's birthday…" she replied nervously and averted her eyes back to the awful brown sweater she was holding in her hands. She had agreed to go shopping with Caitlin in an effort to forget about Logan. However that was hard to do considering Caitlin was obsessed with talking about nothing but Logan and the plan.

"He asked you to go with him?" Caitlin stared at her in awe. She couldn't believe it. She was sure the plan would work but not this well or this quickly.

"Yeah."

"I can't believe he asked you to go. He never asked me to go with him and I was his fiancée." Caitlin continued searching through the clothing wrack as her mind tried to process this latest development. She knew how important Honor was to Logan. If he was inviting Rory to her birthday weekend then it meant that he was growing serious about Rory. As much as she wanted him to fall hopelessly in love with Rory, Caitlin couldn't help feeling a little jealous of her best friend.

"Well, do you not want me to go?"

"No."

"No? No, you _don't_ want me to go? Or no, you _do_ want me to go?" Rory asked feeling slightly confused.

"No, you should go." Caitlin answered, although she didn't sound too certain about it. Rory studied her closely.

"Okay. Are you sure?" Caitlin held up a dress and scanned her eyes over it as she thought about what would happen if Rory were to go away with Logan. It made her blood boil to think of them together.

"No." She spun around facing her. "You can't go."

"But…"

"Wait, I don't know…" Caitlin replaced the dress back on the wrack in frustration and continued her search as her mind whirled. Rory remained silent. She couldn't deny the slight disappointment she felt.

"Caitlin?" Rory hesitated. Caitlin let out a sigh and then turned to face her.

"I'm going to go try this on." She held up a white dress and made her way to the changing rooms. Rory nodded and continued searching through the store. Fifteen minutes later, Caitlin came back out with a strange look on her face. Rory wasn't sure whether it was a smile or a grimace.

"So, you can't go with Logan." She said as she stopped before her. "At least, that's what you tell him."

"I'm confused." Rory frowned and folded her arms across her chest.

"You tell Logan that you can't go with him. Make up some reason about work or something and then give him the brush off." Caitlin filled her in. "The plan is obviously working if he is inviting you to spend the weekend with him at his sister's place. So, it's time to dial it down a notch. Give him the cold shoulder. Logan always loved the chase and if he thinks that you're playing hard to get, it'll make him want you even more."

Rory tried to process her reasoning but still remained a little bit confused. "So, I'm _not_ going this weekend?"

"No, you are going." Caitlin smiled.

"But you just said…"

"You tell him that you can't go, but then you show up out of the blue, surprising him." Caitlin explained. "It's perfect. While you're there you let him do the work. You have to take control of the situation. Back off a little. Make him come to you."

"Make him come to me." Rory repeated. Caitlin smirked as she noticed the perfect thing for Rory hanging near by.

"Oh, this is just what you need." She walked over to where a small, white two-piece bikini was hanging. Rory's eyes widened in horror as she realised what Caitlin was talking about.

"No. No way are you getting me in that thing. It's indecent."

"It's perfect." She smiled as she held it up. "Logan will be like putty in your hands if you wear this."

"I'm going to Hartford, which is in Connecticut not Hawaii." Rory furrowed her brows and let out a sigh. The bikini was the tiniest thing she had ever seen and she knew how uncomfortable it would make her feel if she were to wear it.

"I have it on good authority that Honor has a hot tub." Caitlin grinned suggestively at her. Rory's eyes widened in horror. Shaking her head she headed to the cash register to pay for her own items.

"I'm not wearing that, Caitlin." She said determined in her stance. Caitlin smirked and then tucked the bikini under the pile of dresses she was buying. She would sneak it past her. Rory would never know until it was too late.

After paying for their purchases, they strolled down the street with bags on their arms. Rory was suddenly not looking forward to this weekend. She should've known that Caitlin would have seen it as an opportunity to mess with Logan's head. She just hoped that she would be able to go through with it. As her mind drifted to thoughts of Logan, she remembered that she had an imminent lunch date with the Huntzberger heir. She sneaked a peek at her watch and noted that she was supposed to meet him in fifteen minutes.

She turned to glance at Caitlin who was just finishing a phone call with her agent. She chewed nervously on her bottom lip as she contemplated telling her. It was weird how awkward and uncomfortable she felt about this whole situation. On one hand, Caitlin was encouraging her to spend time with Logan but on the other, Rory knew how she felt about him and didn't want to hurt her friend. Perhaps part of her resistance was due to the guilt she felt at the fact that she actually enjoyed spending time with Logan. It wasn't as horrible as she first figured it would be when she had originally agreed to Caitlin's plan. It wasn't horrible at all.

"Do you want to grab some lunch?" Caitlin plopped her cell phone back into her purse and carried on walking alongside Rory.

"Actually, Logan invited me to have lunch with him today." Rory admitted. Caitlin fell silent and Rory waited anxiously to see what she would say.

"So, blow him off. Girls don't usually leave Logan Huntzberger waiting." She smirked evilly.

"You want me to stand him up?" Rory questioned slightly surprised.

"Yep." Caitlin nodded. "Remember what I said. Back off a little. Let him come to you."

Rory watched as Caitlin continued along the street. Her thoughts turned back to Logan as she thought of him waiting for her at the café. She did feel bad about leaving him there but at the same time, she thought that maybe it would be good for him to know what it felt like to be stood up. She was sure his ego could do with a little grounding.

She also thought that a little distance would be a good thing for her too.

RLRLRLRLRL

Logan sat alone at his table sipping on the strongest cup of coffee he had ever tasted. He was reading the New York Times and every few seconds he would look up searching for any sight of the brunette who had been haunting his every thought lately. He couldn't wait until the weekend. He couldn't wait to be alone with Rory. Just to spend a few hours in her company was enough for him.

He wasn't usually like this with women. He didn't sit around in coffee shops anxiously awaiting their arrival. He didn't show up a half an hour early so that he could get himself prepared for seeing them again. He didn't lie awake all night thinking about how blue their eyes were or how soft their skin was under his fingertips. He didn't close his eyes and imagine kissing them senseless. But Rory Gilmore wasn't just any other woman. She was, quite possibly, the woman. She was the woman who had bewitched him from the first moment he had laid eyes on her. She was the woman who had made him feel something he had never expected to feel in a million years. Rory Gilmore was the woman who had tipped his whole world upside down and he wanted her more than anything.

Logan looked up from his newspaper again. He let his eyes roam over everyone in the coffee shop as he searched for one person in particular. He gazed down at his watch and noted the time. She was late. It was well after one o'clock now and still there was no sign of her. He frowned and sipped on his coffee as he tried to reason why she hadn't shown up yet. Maybe she was busy with work like she said she was and couldn't get away. Maybe she was stuck in traffic…but surely she would have phoned or text him at least to tell him she was on her way!

He glanced back down at the newspaper. He had read the same article over and over again as his mind had been focused on one thing only; seeing Rory again.

As time passed quickly it soon became abundantly clear that she wasn't coming. He couldn't deny how disappointed he was. He had been stood up and he didn't like the feeling. He wasn't used to being the person on the other end. It was usually him who was standing people up. But then he wasn't usually like this with women. He never put himself in the position to be stood up. What had become of him?

RLRLRLRLRLRL

"Have you seen my black, velvet jacket?" Rory called out from her bedroom. Caitlin sat on the couch in the living room staring at the TV while Rory frantically searched for her missing jacket.

"It's at the dry cleaners. You were supposed to pick it up the other day, remember?"

"Damn it!"

"I guess you didn't remember." Caitlin muttered to herself. A few minutes later there was a knock at the door. Caitlin let out a sigh and pulled herself up off the couch as she and Stefan made their way to the front door. When she opened the door, she rolled her eyes and walked away without any kind of greeting. Francie stood for a second before following her inside.

"Oh hey Francie! It's so nice to see you! How have you been?" Francie said sarcastically. Caitlin just muttered something under her breath and then sat down on the couch.

"Rory's still getting dressed." She said in a less than enthusiastic tone. Francie perched herself on the edge of the chair and riffled through her bag as the silence fell between the pair. It had been a long time since they had both been in the same room alone together. Mostly due to the fact that Francie didn't trust herself not to want to kill her.

"So, you're going clubbing?" Caitlin asked making an attempt to cut through the icy atmosphere. Francie looked up and fixed her with a glare. She smiled sweetly at her nemesis.

"I would have invited you to come but I probably would have been tempted to spit in your drink so…"

Caitlin glowered at her and switched her focus back to the TV ignoring the redhead until Rory eventually appeared.

"You're early!" She said as she noticed Francie sitting. Francie removed her eyes from Caitlin before taking in Rory's appearance. She had no idea how she always managed to look so incredible after a long days work.

"No, you're running late." She informed her with a smile on her face.

"Oh."

"Caitlin was just entertaining me with her dazzling wit and excellent conversational skills." She said sarcastically. Rory shook her head and gave her an annoyed look. Caitlin just ignored her.

"Retract claws please." Rory eyed her and then continued packing her purse full of the essential things she would need for a night out with Francie. She had plenty of make-up, cell phone, clean underwear and a toothbrush. Plus plenty of money for her cab fare home just in case Francie disappeared at the end of the night.

"So, do you have everything? Can we go?" Francie asked in frustration. She didn't want to spend anymore time in Caitlin Forbes' company than was absolutely necessary.

"Let's go." Rory waved to Caitlin and patted Stefan on the head as she followed her fiery friend out the door. "Bye guys."

Caitlin didn't respond and Rory closed the door behind her and turned to glare at Francie.

"What?" Francie looked at her with innocence in her eyes.

"Can't you two just get along?" Rory enquired with a hint of pleading in her voice. Francie studied her closely for a second, contemplating whether now was the right time to reveal why she hated her dear friend Caitlin so much. Seeing as it was the beginning of their night out, she was reluctant to say anything which would rock the boat and spoil the night. It could wait. She had kept it to herself this long; she could go a little longer.

"No." Francie replied bluntly and then spun around and strolled gracefully through the hallway to the elevator. Rory sighed in frustration with her two friends. She really wasn't a fan of being in the middle all the time. It made maintaining friendships difficult.

RLRLRLRLRL

"Oops!" Francie giggled as she stumbled on the sidewalk. Rory grabbed her arm and pulled her friend into her side, propping her up as they stood outside the club. Rory glanced up at the sign and realised where they were. She let out a sigh.

"Francie, I thought this was supposed to be a girl's night." Francie leant against the wall as she riffled through her purse looking for her cell phone.

"It is." She hiccupped.

"So, then why are we here?" Rory placed her hands on her hips as people shoved passed her.

"Because we are out clubbing and this is a club." Francie explained slowly with a smile on her face. Rory narrowed her eyes.

"Yes, but this club just so happens to be owned by your boyfriend." She said referring to Finn.

"He's not my boyfriend." Francie cut her off sharply.

"He's not?"

"No."

"You have been spending every hour with him for the last two weeks. If he's not your boyfriend then what is he?" Rory enquired. She was genuinely confused by Francie's reluctance to admit the truth.

"He's…I don't know what he is. What about you?" She turned the question back on Rory.

"What about me?"

"What's the deal with you and Logan?" Rory stared at her for a few moments. She didn't know what to say. She didn't actually know how to answer that question. She couldn't tell her about the plan. She would never understand.

"Logan and I are just…we're friends."

"Friends? Friends who like to make out every now and then." Francie smirked at her before finally finding her cell phone. She flipped it open and dialled Finn's number. Rory folded her arms across her chest and scowled at her as Francie told Finn to come outside and get them.

About ten minutes later, Finn appeared holding a large bottle of Champagne. He looked just as drunk as Francie was and once he laid eyes on the redhead; his face broke into a huge dopey grin. He flung his arms open and waited for Francie to run into them. She quickly complied.

"There's my girl!" Finn exclaimed and then wrapped his arms securely around his girl. Rory stood at the side watching their public display of affection and couldn't deny how sweet they were together. Francie latched onto Finn as if they hadn't seen each other in years. For someone who was so reluctant to admit that he was her boyfriend, she did a good impression of a person in love. Rory smiled just as Finn let go of Francie and spotted her.

"Ah Rory! My second favourite girl! You look devastating tonight. Come on, I'm freezing my bollocks off out here. Let's get you two girls a drink."

Francie giggled as she clung to his side and Rory rolled her eyes and followed them. Apparently Rory wasn't the only person suffering from denial.

Once inside, Finn lead the two girls over to the VIP table he had been previously frequenting. Rory struggled through the crowd on the dance floor as she followed after them. When they reached the table, she was surprised at what she saw. There sitting in the booth was Logan, looking as devilishly handsome as ever and draped around him were two girls. One had her hand on his thigh and the other was whispering seductively in his ear. Logan was grinning from ear to ear as he sipped on his Scotch. He looked like he was thoroughly enjoying the attention. Rory couldn't deny the little pang she felt as her eyes took in the scene. However, it only served in aiding her resolve to cut herself off from him emotionally. Obviously Caitlin was wrong about things between them. He couldn't possibly be falling for her.

"Hey Colin! Budge up a little there, mate. Make some room for the lovely ladies." Finn shouted over the loud music not only catching Colin's attention but also Logan's. He glanced up to look at his Australian friend with a smirk on his face. The smirk faded once his eyes fell on the rather angry looking brunette at Finn's side.

Rory caught his eyes briefly and then forced herself to look away. She slid into the booth sitting between Colin and Francie, who had rest her head on her shoulder in a show of sisterly solidarity. Both girls glared across the table at Logan and his harem. Logan kept his eyes on Rory ignoring the two girls at his side.

"I'm going to go get us some more drinks." Finn declared and meandered in the direction of the bar.

"Logan, come and dance with me." Blonde girl number one chirped in his ear trying to regain his attention from Rory.

"Maybe later." He grunted. The girl glared at Rory from across the table and then slumped back with a sigh.

"Well this isn't too awkward." Colin muttered to himself as he took a swig from his glass. Rory heard him and smiled to herself. She decided to ignore Logan and turned her attention to his best friend.

"So Colin how's life treating you?" Colin looked at her with a curious glint in his eyes and then noticed Logan glaring at them. He realised what she was doing and was only too willing to help her out. He smirked at Logan and then placed his arm around Rory's shoulders before engaging her in pleasant conversation. All the while Logan kept his eyes on them both, completely ignoring the two blonde girls beside him.

RLRLRLRLRL

Logan stood at the bar, nursing his drink trying to drown out the sounds of people enjoying themselves. Well, one person in particular. He had pretty much spent the majority of the evening watching Rory flirting with Colin and any other guy who paid her the slightest bit of attention. He would have thought it was quite pathetic behaviour from her if it hadn't bothered him so much. He knew it was just a bit of harmless flirting in regards to Colin. Colin wasn't interested in Rory like that and he was fairly certain that Rory felt the same, but it was the other guys. The guys who hadn't known him since childhood and would have no problems stepping on his shoes in their attempts to get closer to Rory. Those were the guys who were pissing him off. So, he had found himself at the bar downing one glass after the other in an attempt to quell the anger he was feeling. Most of which was not just directed towards the guys, but Rory herself.

Twice in one day she had managed to make him resort to being a pathetic shadow of his former self. Twice in one day he had allowed her to get to him. He had allowed her to get under his barriers and make an idiot out of him. He wasn't going to let it happen for a third time.

He made his way to the restrooms having watched her head in that direction not ten minutes ago. He stood outside the ladies leaning against the wall with his arms crossed against his chest and his eyes fixed on the door as he prepared himself for the big showdown. It was time to get some answers. It was time to figure out what kind of games she was playing.

A few seconds later the door to the ladies opened and Rory walked out. She didn't see him at first as she was sorting through her purse. She bumped into a girl who was heading the way she had come.

"Oh sorry." She turned but the girl was already gone. Logan kept his defensive pose as he watched her regain her bearings.

"Wow, so you do know how to apologise." He stated in a sarcastic tone. Rory looked up as she heard him speak and fixed him with look of confusion.

"What are you talking about?"

"Thanks for standing me up today at lunch." He peeled himself off the wall and took a step towards her.

"Well I see you managed to console yourself. Where are your little friends?" She answered referring to his blonde harem from earlier.

Logan shrugged. "I don't know. Where's Colin?" Rory didn't answer. She just stared at him as people passed by. Logan narrowed his eyes. "So, what game are you playing here, Rory?"

Rory looked up at him surprised by his question. Was it possible that he had managed to work out what she and Caitlin had concocted? Deciding to call his bluff, she swallowed before replying.

"I'm not playing any games, Logan. That's more your area of expertise." She threw back at him.

"Well, obviously you've been taking notes." He smirked menacingly at her. "What happened to you today then?"

"I had to work." She shrugged her shoulders.

"So, why didn't you call me? Let me know you weren't going to show. Save me from sitting around looking like an idiot." Rory shook her head and rolled her eyes.

"Is that what this is all about? You losing face!" She was incredulous at his arrogance. She turned away from him and was about to walk away when Logan reached out and grabbed her arm forcefully preventing her from going anywhere.

"What's going on here, Rory? I mean one minute you're all over me, the next you're standing me up!"

"I told you. I had to work!" She struggled out of his grasp. Logan let her go but took a step towards her closing the gap between them.

"So, this has nothing to do with Caitlin?" He asked, his brows furrowing at the mention of his ex's name. Rory froze under his gaze. Had he worked it out after all?

"I don't know what you're talking about." She shook her head and tried to move away from him but he cut her off by pushing her back against the wall and resting his hand beside her head blocking off her escape route.

"Is there someone else?" Rory's eyes widened and her heart rate quickened. Did he know about Daniel?

"You kiss me and then you're flirting with Colin and every other guy in here." Rory gazed up into his dark brown, penetrating eyes as he glowered at her. She saw a mixture of anger and frustration in his eyes but no hatred which is what he would feel if he really knew what was going on. He didn't know about her affair with Daniel. He didn't know about Caitlin's plan for revenge against him. He was jealous. Pure and simple. Logan was jealous of her flirting with other guys. He was reacting like any guy would when the girl he liked was trying to drive him crazy.

"Are you jealous?" She tried not to smile as Logan's breathing became heavy.

"Do you want me to be?" He whispered as he lowered his face closer to hers. Rory didn't answer. She couldn't. Her attention was fully focused on how close he was to her. Her pulse was racing as he raised his hand up and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"I just want to know where I stand, Rory." He said huskily. Rory closed her eyes as she breathed in his scent. It was intoxicating. He was intoxicating.

"Why?" She managed to speak in a small strained voice. Logan lowered his face to hers and brushed his lips over her forehead.

"Because I can't stop thinking about you." Rory's breath hitched at the back of her throat as she lost herself in his gaze. She chewed nervously on her bottom lip as Logan stared down at her. "Maybe we can figure things out this weekend."

Rory's eyes widened at the mention of their weekend trip to Hartford. The trip she was supposed to tell him she couldn't join him on, but in that moment all she wanted to do was kiss him and forget about everything else. It looked like she was going to get her wish when Logan cupped her cheek with his hand and closed the gap between them. Then she said it breaking the spell between them.

"I can't go this weekend." She spoke all in the one breath. Logan moved his face away and peered down at her with a look of confusion.

"What? Why not?"

"I…um, something came up at work and I-" She didn't manage to get the rest out as Logan pulled away from her and stormed down the corridor without saying a word. Rory leaned against the wall staring after him.

****

A/N: Next chapter will take place in Hartford. So look out for that. Should be interesting! Oh and to anyone who loves Matt and just wants to talk about him all day long, come and check out the Matt Czuchry board. The link is on my profile page. We'd love to see you there. Thanks. Remember to leave a review before you go.


	8. Chapter 7: Hartford Hideaway

_**A/N: I'm so happy to have this chapter done. I feel like I can move on with the story now. I've been stuck for so long. I know you all have you're questions and I promise all will be revealed in due course. This chapter was originally supposed to be longer but I think it works better like this. I have the next three chapters planned and they will be important in the development of this story so keep reading. As always. I hope you enjoy it and please don't forget to leave me a review. It's always nice to hear what you're thinking. Thanks again, J. **_

_**I own nothing.**_

Just Her Luck

Chapter Seven: Hartford Hideaway

Logan leaned against the side of the car with his arms folded across his chest and a look of annoyance on his face. He was annoyed because he wanted to get as far and as quickly away from New York and Rory Gilmore as he possibly could. He needed to clear his head and get her out of his system. This weekend was originally intended for him to get closer to his favourite brunette reporter, but instead he would spend it cursing her and her seemingly never-ending mind games.

For the majority of his life, he had avoided getting involved in complicated relationships with the opposite sex, writing them off as an unnecessary hassle. His engagement to Caitlin had proved him correct on that point, but with Rory, things were different. She was different, or so he thought.

From the first time he met her, Logan couldn't deny the fact that he was drawn to Rory. And he knew that if he were to give in to his feelings for her that nothing would be simple between them, but the last few days had left him mentally exhausted. Part of him wished he could go back to the old days. The simple days when he knew exactly where he stood with a girl.

Either she liked him or she didn't.

It was that straightforward.

He didn't have to resort to being some pathetic loser who obsessed over whether she wanted him or not. He was always so sure of himself. So confident that he could get any girl he wanted. With Rory, he had lost that confidence. He had no idea whether she really liked him or whether she was just playing games with him. Perhaps she was just as clueless as he was. He just wished that she would be honest with him and tell him where he stood once and for all.

Logan lowered his head and let out a sigh as he listened to his two best friends bickering amongst themselves. The three of them had been outside waiting by the car for Francie to arrive. She was running late and was holding them up. Logan was growing restless. He was anxious to leave and he couldn't wait any longer.

"Finn, what the hell is taking her so long?" He glared at his friend with frustration evident in his tone. Finn punched Colin on the shoulder and turned to grin at his impatient friend.

"She's a sheila, mate!" He shrugged his shoulders. "It is impossible for them to be ready in time."

"Or pack lightly." Colin remarked from behind them as he eyed the oncoming redhead and her three large, heavy-looking bags.

"I heard that!" Francie fixed Colin with a glare as she passed him. Logan and Finn looked up. Logan sighed.

"Finally!" Logan said under his breath and then unfolded his arms and made his way to the driver's side of the car. Finn's smile widened and his eyes lit up as he spun around to see her.

"Ah, my little vixen!" He hurried over to greet her with a kiss on the cheek and then he took the bags from her and let his eyes roam over her appearance. "You look stunning, Love. Although, you do know we're only going for the weekend, right? We won't actually be moving there permanently."

Francie shoved him playfully.

"Can we go now?" Logan opened the car door and gave them all a look of irritation. Francie smiled under Finn's attentions and then frowned at Logan's grouchy behaviour.

"Ooh, check out Mr Cranky-pants!" Logan banged the door shut as Finn loaded her luggage into the car. "What's up with him?"

Colin rolled his eyes at her as he slid passed her. "Rory's not coming."

Francie's green eyes widened aghast as she climbed into the backseat of the car alongside Finn. "What? Why not?"

Finn placed his arm around her shoulders and pulled her slight frame against him. "She had to work, apparently."

Francie looked towards Logan to see his reaction, but he just stared straight ahead and started up the car engine. She sighed as she noticed the flicker of disappointment in his eyes as they momentarily met hers in the rear-view mirror. She felt sorry for Logan. She knew how he felt about Rory. It was written all over his face and she more than anybody had tried to play matchmaker between her best friend and the guy who was so clearly right for her, but with limited success.

Colin turned in his seat to glance back at her struggling with the constraints of the seatbelt. "Hey, you work with her. How come you managed to get some time off and she didn't?"

"Because, I'm lazier than she is. We don't have the same work ethic." Francie snuggled into Finn's side. "I can't believe she's not coming. I can't believe she would leave me on my own with you three idiots all weekend. So much for girls sticking together."

Finn smiled and placed a kiss on her forehead. "Don't worry, Love. I'll take care of you."

Francie smiled up at him and reached over to place a sweet kiss on his lips. Finn took full advantage and deepened the kiss immediately. Colin glanced over his shoulder and cringed at the sight.

"Oh great! Are we going to have to spend the whole weekend watching you two suck face?" He complained in a disgusted tone. Logan's eyes flickered to the mirror briefly to see Finn and Francie indulging in a rather heated embrace. He remained unmoved. After a few seconds, the two lovebirds broke apart and Francie giggled as Finn threw a piece of scrunched up paper at his dark-haired friend, hitting him on the head.

"Close your eyes and you won't have to see a thing. Or think of it this way, with me preoccupied this weekend, you and Logan can finally give into that forbidden passion that's been brewing between you all these years." He quipped and Francie giggled again as she settled back against his side.

"Finn, shut up! Otherwise you can finally live out your James Bond fantasy when I throw you out of a moving vehicle." Logan snapped at his Australian friend. Finn and Francie glanced knowingly at each other and slumped back against their seats as they drove the rest of the way to Hartford in silence for fear of getting on Logan's bad side.

RLRLRLRLRL

They arrived in Hartford late on Thursday night. As the car pulled into the driveway, Logan spotted his sister pacing back and forth, obviously anxious for their arrival. He smiled slightly for the first time that day. At least someone wanted to see him.

"Wow! Check out the house!" Francie said admiringly from the backseat. Finn chuckled at her wide-eyed expression and offered his hand to help her out of the car. Logan slowly unbuckled his seatbelt and turned off the engine, as Honor hurried over to join them by the car. She grabbed the door as he opened it and threw her arms around her brother's neck as he climbed out of the car.

"You're here!" Honor had never been more relieved to see anyone in her whole life. Logan adjusted to her presence and hugged her back.

"Hey Honor, where's the fire?" His eyebrows rose as she tightened her grip.

"Can't I just miss my baby brother?" She spoke as she rested her head on his shoulder. Finn, Colin and Francie made their way to the back of the car to retrieve their bags.

"What did Mom do this time?" He wasn't buying her over enthusiastic welcome for a second. Honor groaned in frustration and then weakened her grip on him.

"She's driving me insane! This party is going to be the death of me, or her." she exclaimed and flung her arms in the air. Logan couldn't help but smirk at her over-dramatics. He knew how infuriating his mother could be, but Honor always did have a tendency to exaggerate things.

He rolled his eyes at his sister and retrieved his bag from the pile. Honor continued sulking until she realised that they had company. She smiled at the others and immediately moved to welcome them to her home.

"Hey guys! I'm glad you could make it." She gave Colin a hug and then sidled up beside Finn who was gesturing to his cheek for her to kiss. She laughed and gladly obliged. She then laid eyes on Francie standing beside Finn.

Finn noticed her gaze fall to the redhead and smiled brightly as he moved to make introductions. "Honor, this is Francie. Francie, this is Honor."

"It's nice to meet you. Although, you look familiar. Have we met before?" Honor offered Francie her hand as she scrutinised her closely. Francie smiled and nodded.

"I'm pretty sure we ran into each other at Logan's engagement party." She remembered and shook her hand. Honor turned to glance at Logan at the mention of his previous moment of temporary insanity as she called it, and then smiled back at Francie.

"Sorry, I tend to blank out that period of my brother's life." She said jokingly referring to his ex-fiancée; the woman she hated more than her mother.

"Tell me about it." Logan commented dryly. Honor smiled back at him and then chuckled to herself. She returned her attention to the group and frowned as she counted all the members, realising that someone was missing.

"Where's Rory?" She asked bluntly. Logan's happy mood fizzled away as Colin and Finn gave Honor a warning glare. Francie coughed uncomfortably as she adjusted her bag strap over her shoulder.

"She couldn't make it." Logan said plainly and then made his way up the driveway and into the house leaving the others in his wake. Honor watched him for a second with a confused look on her face before turning to the others. Colin just shrugged and followed after Logan. Finn and Francie smiled at her.

"She had to work." Francie informed her.

"We don't mention the 'R' word around him. He tends to get cranky." Finn explained to her as they walked towards the entrance of the house. Honor followed, her curiosity was piqued by her brother's reaction.

After showing the others to their rooms, Honor finally cornered Logan alone as he fixed himself a drink. She peered at him from the doorway. Her arms were folded across her chest, her brow furrowed in contemplation. Logan sat on the edge of the bed and closed his eyes as he took a swig of Scotch. He knew she was watching him, but he chose to ignore her in hope that she would get bored and find something else to obsess about.

"So, Rory couldn't make it, huh?" No such luck.

Logan let out a groan and then opened his eyes and glared at his sister. Honor remained unmoved by his attempts to put her off, and moved further into the room.

"Nope." He said simply, keeping his true emotions in check. The last thing he needed was Honor sticking her nose in his business.

"That's a shame. I was looking forward to seeing her again." Honor mused as she sat down beside him. "It's been awhile."

Honor had always liked Rory. They had met at Caitlin's birthday party a few months after Logan and she had started dating. Honor had taken an immediate dislike to Caitlin and spent most of her time talking to Rory. She had found her incredibly bright and charming company and ever since then Honor had always harboured hope that her brother would finally wake up and see sense in regards to his own feelings for the ambitious reporter. It seemed that the moment she had been waiting for had finally arrived and as usual, Logan had managed to screw it up if his grumpy exterior was any indication.

"So, did you two have a fight?" She pursued the topic much to Logan's chagrin. She was like a dog with a bone sometimes. Absolutely relentless.

Logan glanced at her and let out a huge sigh of frustration. She wasn't going to let go of this until he filled her in on all the juicy details regarding his relationship or non-relationship with Rory Gilmore.

"We didn't have a fight. We just…ouch!" He was cut off by the feel of Honor's hand slapping him upside the head.

"Idiot!" She reprimanded him as he rubbed the side of his head.

"What the hell, Honor!"

"I didn't think it was possible for you to become even more moronic after the whole Caitlin debacle, but here you are, proving me wrong!" She shook her head as she scowled at his idiocy.

Logan rolled his eyes at his big sister and placed his glass against the side of his head which was now in agony having been struck by not only her hand but her diamond engagement ring. It was the size of a rock.

"Jesus, Honor!"

"Oh, stop being such a baby. I barely touched you." She brushed his cries of pain off. "What happened? You were grinning from ear to ear when you told me she was coming this weekend."

Logan frowned. "How would you know if I was grinning? I told you over the phone."

"I could just tell. You sounded so happy." She explained mournfully. She had hoped that this weekend she could play matchmaker for her brother. It was time he was settled down. And Rory was the perfect choice.

"Yeah well…" he sighed in resignation, trying not to show his own disappointment. Honor turned to look at him. Her eyes were fixed on his face as he downed the rest of his Scotch. He felt very uncomfortable under her gaze. "What?"

"You like her, don't you?" Logan didn't answer. He stared down at his empty glass and wished that he hadn't been so hasty in finishing his drink.

For a moment, silence grew between them as they both contemplated the significance of his inability to reply. The silence was interrupted when Honor sighed and shook her head before smacking him on the back of his head again.

"Hey!" He immediately reached up to rub the sore spot.

"Idiot!" Honor glared at him and then got up from the bed and left the room. Logan let out a painful groan and then lay back on the bed. As the pain slowly subsided, his thoughts turned to Rory. He was an idiot. He couldn't deny that. He just wished that things would be less complicated between them. He was determined that the next time he saw her he was just going to come out and tell her how he felt about her, or at the very least, he would ask her out on a date. A proper date.

RLRLRLRL

"What about this one?" Rory held up a brown sweater as she tried to decide what to pack for her weekend trip to Hartford. She was pretty nervous about just showing up on Logan's sister's doorstep after the way they left things. But it was all part of the plan, right?

Caitlin stood before her giving her a look of utter disdain as her eyes took in the dullness of Rory's wardrobe choices.

"He's supposed to want to rip the shirt off you not want to check you into an old folks home!" Caitlin commented dryly. She grabbed the sweater and chucked it in the rather large 'reject' pile. Rory sighed. They had been packing her bag for the last three hours and were still no closer to finding something that would make Logan drool.

"What about this?" Rory's eyes fell on the rather low cut black dress her mother had bought her in an effort to spruce up her wardrobe. Caitlin smiled in appreciation.

"That is more like it?" She nodded and then continued searching through Rory's clothes. "What about the blue dress? That one really brings out the colour in your eyes!"

Rory watched as Caitlin jumped up from her spot on the floor and disappeared out of the room. A few minutes later she returned holding the blue dress and a rather revealing white silk number. Rory's eyes widened as her friend whipped out a small two piece bikini from behind her back. "This, this will make his temperature soar!"

Rory recognised the bikini as the one from the store. The same one that would leave very little to the imagination.

"Caitlin!" Rory complained as Caitlin threw it to her to examine. "I can't wear this."

"Of course you can. One glance at you in this bikini and Logan will be like putty in your hands." She smiled evilly. Rory sighed and held the bathing costume up in front of her. It was barely a piece of string. It made her old trusty bathing suit look like a pair of flannel pyjamas.

Taking a deep breath, she folded the flimsy pieces of material and hid them under the rest of her clothes. Caitlin beamed down at her and then clapped her hands in glee.

"Oh, I'm so excited. I thought this might be a bad idea, but Logan has no idea of what he's in for." She laughed ecstatically and then made her way to the door. "I have to go run a few errands, so finish packing and do not dare remove anything from that bag."

"Yes, mam!" Rory saluted her friend sarcastically. Caitlin grinned from ear to ear and then gave her a wink.

"Have fun this weekend, Rory. Don't do anything I wouldn't do." She said knowingly and then left the room. A moment later she stuck her head back threw the door and smirked. "Or don't do anything I would."

Rory rolled her eyes and listened as Caitlin laughed her way out of the apartment. She sank back against the bed as she surveyed the scene around her. There were piles of disregarded clothing lying everywhere. Her room was a mess and so was she.

She knew that after this weekend, if she could pull it off, there would be no going back. No backing out. She would be in deeper than ever and there would be nothing she could do about it.

A huge part of her wanted to say 'to hell with it' and just curl up under her duvet and hide from Caitlin, from Logan, and from the world. Another part of her wanted to go through with it so that Logan could get his just deserts like originally planned. Another part, the part that was making it harder than it should be, wanted to go to Hartford this weekend. It was excited about the prospect of spending time alone with Logan. It was the part which was ever so quietly driving her insane.

But which part should she listen to?

RLRLRLRL

Friday morning passed by in a haze as the group, now joined by Honor's husband Josh, regaled each other with tales of yesteryear for Francie's benefit. She delighted in hearing about all of the high jinks the three stooges-as Honor had so lovingly referred to her brother and his two best friends-had gotten up to. She was in tears of laughter by the time Logan had had enough and retreated to the kitchen. Honor followed him and quietly dismissed the caterers for some alone time with her brother.

She had been observing Logan ever since he arrived in Hartford and knew that his distant behaviour was evidence of just how deeply affected he was by his favourite Gilmore girl.

"I have to say, it's about time." She said out of the blue alerting Logan to her presence. He spun around to glare at her with a startled look on his face.

"Jeez Honor! Wear a bell next time." Logan perched himself on a stool as he realised that they were alone in the kitchen now. He shook his head and then reached over to fill a mug with some freshly brewed coffee.

Honor gave him an appraising look and then joined him at the counter, sitting on the stool next to him. "I saw the sparks between you and Rory a long time ago. I'm glad to see you finally caught up. You really are quite slow."

"Thanks." Logan replied sarcastically. Honor smiled and nudged him gently with her elbow.

"Is that all that's bothering you? It can't just be Rory that's on your mind. I know you have something big planned."

Logan glanced at her briefly. He hadn't shared his plans with anyone and he wasn't going to tell his blabbermouth big sister. It was way too close to home for his liking.

"Yeah well, you don't need to worry your pretty little head about it." He said in a quiet tone. Honor stared at him for a moment longer. Her face was full of concern for her baby brother. She had always felt that he could achieve anything he wanted if he just applied himself. She was just worried about him taking on their father in his bid to make something of himself.

"Logan, just be careful. You know Mitchum. He won't let you go without a fight."

Logan snapped his head around to stare at her in complete awe. How did she know what he was up to? Honor just shrugged and then tapped her finger to her nose.

"Our secret." She told him and then stole his mug of coffee as the sound of the doorbell rang throughout the house. She sighed. "God, I hope that's not more caterers!"

Logan watched his sister shuffle out of the kitchen with a wide-eyed look of surprise on his face. She never failed to surprise him with just how observant she was. Even when they were younger he could never keep anything secret from her. He had been certain that she was psychic at one point.

The sound of loud squealing caught his attention and he furrowed his brow as he strained to hear what all the kafuffle was about. His curiosity got the better of him and so he slid off the stool and slowly sauntered out of the kitchen and made his way to the foyer where all the noise was coming from. He turned the corner just in time to see Honor fiercely hugging a rather shapely brunette. It wasn't until she pulled back that he saw that the brunette in question was none other than one Rory Gilmore.

Her blue eyes flitted briefly to meet his as Honor smiled at her side. "Look, who made it, Logan!"

Logan nodded. It took every ounce of strength he had not to grin uncontrollably at their new guest. He couldn't deny the little skip his heart made when he first laid eyes on her. Having her here would make sticking to his promise all that easier. However, his pride…that might not be so welcoming.

"Hey." He managed to find his voice eventually after spending the longest five minutes of his life just staring dumbly at her. She was the most exquisite thing he had ever seen and she looked all the more beautiful as she stood before him. He gazed longingly at her as she smiled bashfully back at him. Her blue eyes drew him in and he couldn't stop himself from running his eyes over the rest of her. She took his breath away.

_Damn her!_

"Hey." She took a step towards him. Well, actually, Honor pushed her towards him and then grabbed hold of Finn, Francie, Colin and Josh and hurried them out of the foyer.

Logan rolled his eyes in the brief instant that he took his eyes off her and then ran his hand through his hair in a nervous gesture. He couldn't believe that he felt nervous around her.

Rory glanced at Honor and smiled at her obvious attempts to give them some privacy. She looked back at Logan to see him staring at her and almost forgot to breathe. His gaze was so intense.

"I hope its ok that I'm here." She spoke in a small voice as she clutched her bag. Logan stared at her for a moment longer and then took the bag from her. He smirked at her as he caught scent of her perfume.

"You were invited." He stated simply. "Remember?" His smirk grew into a full blown smile as he took her hand and lead her up the staircase to the room Honor had prepared for her originally.

Rory followed quietly behind him, enjoying the tingly feeling she felt as his hand held hers. He seemed relatively pleased to see her. There were no signs of any bitterness after their argument the other night. She was relieved.

"This is your room." He stopped in front of the bedroom and turned to face her. Rory raised her brows as she followed his gaze.

"Wow!" The room was incredible. It was just as grand as the rest of the house. She entered the room to get a better look. Everything was so big, the bed, the wardrobe, all of the furnishings screamed out 'wealth'. There was a large window at the other side of the room which had a great view of the lake across from the house and there was an en suite bathroom too. Again, everything in the bathroom was huge also. The sinks, the bathtub. The room was fit for a queen. Immediately, she felt overwhelmingly guilty. If Honor knew about her plan to get revenge on her brother she would not be so hospitable.

"So, I thought you had too much work on this weekend?" Logan spoke as Rory took in the view from the window.

"Hmm?" she said distractedly. She glanced back at him and saw he was eyeing her curiously.

"I, um, I finished early." She explained/lied.

"Way early." Logan stood in the doorway leaning nonchalantly against the doorframe. He couldn't take his eyes off her as she unbuttoned her coat to reveal her slender frame. He openly ogled her, his eyes taking in her long legs and tiny waist before settling on her other assets.

Rory tried to ignore the way he was looking at her and went about unpacking her bag.

"I like to be efficient and I didn't want to miss Honor's birthday so…" She trailed off as she neatly placed her clothes in the drawers provided.

"I'm not buying it." Logan stated firmly and folded his arms across his chest. Rory glanced up.

"Not buying what?"

Logan's frown slowly turned into a smirk. "You just couldn't stay away from me. Could you?"

Rory rolled her eyes at his arrogance and laughed. "You caught me! I just can't get enough of that smile of yours."

"I know you want me, Gilmore!" He acknowledged sure of himself. Rory's sudden feeling of calm was blown out of the water as she gaped at him.

"If your ego gets any bigger, you'll get stuck in the doorway."

"Good." He smiled. "Then we'll be trapped in here forever."

"I'd find a way out."

"You'd leave me in here all on my own?"

"Yep!" Rory said simply. Logan frowned mockingly.

"Wow, harsh." Rory went back to her unpacking with a smile on her face.

"It's a harsh world out there, baby. Deal with it!" She hung up her dresses and returned to find him sitting on the bed with a huge grin on his face.

"What are you smiling about?" She placed her hands on her hips as she eyed him curiously.

"I'm glad you decided to come. This weekend would have been so boring without you."

Rory felt a surge of emotion as he seemed so genuine. She tried her hardest to shake it off.

"You would've found some other entertainment to keep you happy. I'm sure you have a whole book full of willing 'friends'." She used the term 'friend' loosely.

Logan took offence to her comment. He furrowed his brow and stared up at her. "Is that what you think of me? That I just whore around with any girl that comes my way?"

"Don't you?" Rory asked mystified that he would even try to deny it.

"Maybe in the past. Not anymore." He explained vehemently.

"Oh, because you're a changed man." She said sarcastically. Logan narrowed his eyes at her.

"Actually, I am." Rory rolled her eyes at him as he met her gaze.

"The only thing you change is your bed partner." She joked but Logan remained serious.

"Okay, when was the last time you saw me with another girl?" He was going to prove his point right now.

"I'm not with you 24/7, Logan."

"No, you're not." She stopped in front of him and he grabbed her hand and pulled her down on top of him on the bed. He pressed a finger to her lips and stared deep into her blue eyes. "But these lips…" he breathed in her scent, "…are the only lips I've kissed in over a month."

Rory's breathing was verging on shaky now as she lay on top of him. She could feel the hard muscles under her body as his warmth engulfed her. Her face was inches away from his and she fought against every impulse not to kiss him.

"Yeah, right." She managed to speak. Her voice came out sounding uneven. She was more than affected by his close proximity. She was overwhelmed. He was intoxicating.

Logan smirked as he rubbed his index finger over her soft, extremely kissable ruby-red lips. "I promise. I'm not interested in anyone else."

Rory's heart was beating uncontrollably in her chest as she hovered above him. Her head was swimming with the feel of him under her body as well as his words. His finger continued to caress her lips before suddenly she found herself lying on her back as Logan rolled them over and hovered above her. His eyes were locked on hers before he lowered his gaze to her lips and then back again. Rory's pulse was racing with anticipation. He was going to kiss her. She wanted him to kiss her more than anything, but something inside her was dead against it and before she knew what she was doing, she opened her mouth to speak.

"Well, then the party will provide you with plenty of opportunities to rectify that." Her tone was husky and her eyes were full of lust but her words changed the atmosphere between them instantly. Logan let out a huge sigh as he slowly removed himself from his position on top of her. Rory immediately missed the warmth but was relieved as well. She needed to keep a clear head if she was going to survive this weekend. It was part of the plan right? To leave him wanting more. She was pretty sure from the pained look on his face, he most definitely wanted more, but was frustrated at her inability to see beyond the façade.

"I should let you get unpacked." He straightened himself up and ran a hand through his mussed up hair before gazing longingly at Rory and then he took his leave. Rory was still lying flat out on the bed. She lifted her head up to watch him retreat and then sank into the pillow and finally caught her breath.


	9. Chapter 8: Count to Ten

_**A/N: Here we have another update for your delectation. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it. I'm really getting back into the flow of writing these characters again and I've rediscovered my Sophie love. Read, review and enjoy. **_

_**I don't own the Gilmore Girls or a white string bikini. Thank God! **_

Just Her Luck

Chapter Eight: Count to Ten

A few hours later, having finished unpacking and managing to successfully regain control of her faculties, Rory decided to join the rest of the group downstairs. She stood in front of the huge mirror taking one last look at her appearance along with a deep breath and then opened the door to her bedroom and slipped out and through the corridor, before gracefully descending the staircase.

Her mind was still processing her last encounter with Logan. The look in his eyes when she pretty much insinuated that she trusted him about as far as she could throw him stayed with her. He seemed genuinely hurt by her admission and determined to prove her wrong. But she would resist his attempts. She had to stay focused on the plan; otherwise she would be in serious trouble if their last tryst on the bed was anything to go by. She was finding her willpower in woefully short supply this weekend.

"There you are!" She was pulled from her thoughts by the appearance of Logan's bubbly older sister, Honor. Rory smiled at her hostess for the weekend. She had always enjoyed Honor's company. She was delightfully kooky and genuinely warm-hearted and kind. "I thought we were going to have to send a search party to look for you. Did you get lost? I know the house is pretty big."

Rory's smile widened as she reached the ground floor. Instantly, Honor took her arm and led her through to the other room where Francie, Finn, Colin, Josh and Logan were all seated.

"Dinner's about to be served." Honor said loudly so everyone could hear. Logan glanced up and his gaze met Rory's for a brief moment before he returned to his conversation with Josh. Honor tugged on Rory's arm and guided her through to the Dining room while the others followed. Rory sneaked a look over her shoulder and met Logan's eyes once again. The intensity in his smouldering gaze and the knowing smirk on his face caused her stomach to flip and she quickly turned her attention back to Honor, who was pulling out a seat for her.

Finn and Francie sat opposite Rory and Josh sat at the head of the table. When Colin was about to sit in the chair next to Rory, Honor almost pulled his arm out of its socket in a desperate bid to stop him.

"Ouch!" Colin complained as he rubbed his shoulder. "You know, the arm comes attached to the rest of the body, Honor."

Honor just glared at him. "You sit next to Josh. Logan's sitting next to Rory."

Rory could feel her whole body blush at Honor's not so subtle attempts to pair her off with her brother. Colin just shook his head at Honor and then gave Josh a sympathetic look. As if to say 'I'm sorry you're married to a mental patient'. Josh just smiled as did Logan. He was positively beaming as he sat down in the now vacated chair next to Rory. He reached over the table and took a sip of his wine glass. He then gave Rory the kind of look which caused her insides to start fluttering uncontrollably.

_This is going to be a long night. No. Scratch that. It's going to be a long weekend._

As the evening went on, Rory tried to forget about the fact that Logan was sitting so close to her. Her brain was still slightly fuzzy from their last run in and the smell of his aftershave wafting around about her wasn't helping her focus. Neither was the 'accidental' brush of his arm against hers whenever he reached for his wineglass. Or the lingering touches whenever he passed her something. Her heart rate fluctuated every time they would come into the slightest of contact. It was as if her whole body was on edge. And he was loving every second of it. She was sure.

"So, Rory are you seeing anybody in New York?" Honor inquired from beside her. She had taken her place at the head of the table, at the opposite end of Josh and was staring determinedly at her now. Rory's eyes widened and she hesitantly met Francie's knowing stare from across the table. Taking a sip of her wine, she shook her head and blinked away the image of Daniel which had settled in her minds eye.

"Um, no. I'm not seeing anybody." Honor beamed at her and Logan cleared his throat. She managed a quick glance in his direction to see a confused expression on his face. Maybe he thought she was seeing him.

"That's great!" Honor said a little too enthusiastically. "So, has anyone caught your eye?"

Rory shifted uncomfortably in her chair and felt her face turn a darker shade of crimson as the embarrassment flushed through her. She could feel all eyes on her, including Logan's.

"Well, there's the fruit guy right, Rory? He's kind of cute." Francie jumped in giving Rory a helpful out. Rory furrowed her brows at Francie. She had absolutely no idea who her friend was talking about.

"Who's the fruit guy?" Finn asked Francie as he cut into his piece of Chicken.

"Huh? Oh, he brings fruit to the office. His name is Gary. I think. He always wears shorts. He has a pretty cute butt."

Suddenly, Rory started laughing as she remembered who Francie was talking about. Gary was in his fifties and slightly obese, but he did wear shorts on a daily basis, come rain or shine.

"What's so funny?" Logan asked eyeing Rory sceptically. By this time Francie was laughing too and the rest of the table watched them with confused expressions.

"Francie's right. He does have a really cute butt." At that, Francie snorted unattractively which caused Finn to start laughing as well as Josh. Logan, Colin and Honor looked on bemused, certain that they had all lost their minds.

Logan turned his body so he was facing Rory. He watched her eyes light up as she continued giggling at her and Francie's private joke. A strand of luscious brown hair fell from its place and he had to fight the urge to tuck it behind her ear. A few minutes later, Rory's watery eyes met his and he grinned at her, finding himself laughing a long with her. Without thinking he placed his hand on her leg under the table and she immediately snapped her eyes to his. Her skirt wasn't the longest, so his hand had easy access to her bare legs.

She stared at him as he let his hand move slowly higher over her thigh, a mischievous smile playing on his lips the whole time. Rory wiped her damp cheeks with her napkin and then placed her hand over his, stilling his movement as he traced lazy circles on the inside of her thigh. He leaned forward and her whole body shivered as he felt his warm breath on her skin. She closed her eyes while his lips brushed against her ear as he whispered how sexy she was.

Eventually the laughter died down and Honor decided it was time to change the subject. She lifted her glass for a refill and then let her gaze fall on her brother who had a slight smile playing on his lips. It wasn't until she looked at Rory that she noticed the same smile on her face. She also noticed that he was using only one hand to eat his meal. Rolling her eyes at his obvious behaviour, she silently felt a little happy as she watched them both interact. She watched them closely for the rest of the meal as Rory blushed while he whispered sweet nothings into her ear. Honor was sure that they wouldn't be in need of much help from her in the matchmaking department. She could see that they were quite clearly already smitten with each other. She just hoped that Logan held onto her tightly and didn't let her get away. She had a good feeling about this one.

"So, Rory how is Caitlin these days? Are you two still living together?" Honor enquired breaking the little trance which had formed between the two lovebirds. Rory spun quickly in her chair to face Honor and her cheeks paled at the mention of Caitlin's name. Logan didn't look too happy either, going by the death glare he sent his sister.

"Yeah. We still share an apartment."

"Doesn't she drive you crazy? I couldn't bear to be around her for two seconds, let alone share the same bathroom with her." Honor shuddered at the thought.

"She's not so bad." She defended her lamely. She knew she had to be careful with what she said considering she was in a room with all five founder members of the 'We hate Caitlin Forbes' club.

"Not so bad!?" Honor almost choked on a carrot. "The girl is trash. I'm so glad Logan finally saw sense and kicked her to the curb. I so didn't want her as a sister."

"Honor." Logan warned her in a low threatening voice. Rory chanced a glance at him. He looked angry at the direction in which the conversation had taken. Rory wasn't exactly comfortable either. Caitlin was still her friend and as far as she was aware, she was the victim in all of this. Logan had broken up with her for no apparent reason. That's why she was here, as she had to constantly remind herself.

"What? I'm just saying what everyone else here is thinking." the blonde replied.

"Yeah, well…don't. Despite what we all might think about Caitlin, she and Rory are still friends. Rory is your guest for the weekend; I don't think it's fair to attack her friend in front of her. You're making her feel uncomfortable." He said heatedly, clearly annoyed with his sister. The anger was radiating off of him.

Everyone, including Rory stared blankly at Logan after his outburst. They were all completely floored by the fact that he would even attempt to defend Caitlin, even if it was in a round about way.

"Sorry. I apologise Rory. I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable." Honor placed her hand over Rory's. Still flabbergasted by Logan's behaviour, Rory nodded absently and quickly turned her attention back to the man on her right. He was staring fiercely at his now empty plate and his hands were clenched into tight fists as they rest either side of his plate. Rory took a deep breath and then gently placed her hand over his before meeting his eyes with her own.

As soon as he felt her touch, he relaxed his muscles and laced his fingers through hers. When he held her gaze, his eyes softened and he felt all anger and frustration dissipate to be replaced with an overwhelming sense of calm and love. There was no denying it. He was falling hopelessly and irrevocably in love with this blue-eyed, brown-haired beauty. There was nothing he could do to stop it. He was completely helpless.

After dinner, Rory retired to her bedroom on her own. She did feel tired. This evening had been draining and also highly intriguing. It had occurred to her that perhaps Honor knew Logan's reasons for breaking off the engagement to Caitlin all those months ago. That was something that she truly wanted to understand. His harsh treatment and heartless abandonment of the woman he had promised to spend the rest of his life with was not true of the man she had come to know. Part of her wished that wasn't the case. If he was truly as horrible as his actions indicated, then she wouldn't be struggling to keep a hold of herself around him. She wouldn't have been so surprised by his need to defend her friendship with Caitlin to his sister.

They had never really talked about her continued friendship with Caitlin. Logan had never really brought it up. This surprised her. Surely he would make her chose between them if he felt so much hatred for the girl Rory claimed as a friend. Lying back on her bed, she let out a frustrated groan as her brain started to hurt. Everything was just so complicated and she was tired of having to try and put the pieces together.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath waiting for sleep to overtake her. It would not come. With her eyes closed, she could still see his mischievous smirk. She could still feel her skin tingle where he touched her. Things were getting very complicated.

Just as she was about to drift off to sleep, the shrill ringing of her cell phone woke her up. She groaned and rolled over to the side of the bed to find the offending item. She picked it up and answered it without checking the caller ID. It was probably just Caitlin checking in for a progress report.

"Hello." Her voice came out sounding slightly hoarse.

"Rory?" It was Daniel. Her eyes flew open immediately and she sat up as she heard his voice coming through the line.

"Hey." Her eyes flitted briefly towards the door in case anyone was listening in.

"Hey. It's good to hear your voice. I missed you." He said throatily. Rory shifted anxiously on the bed, her eyes snapping back to the door every few minutes.

"Um, yeah I missed you to." She said distractedly.

"I really want to see you. We need to talk. I want to apologise for the other day. I shouldn't have…"

"Oh. That's okay. Don't worry about it."

"Can I come over to your place? She's away for the whole weekend. I need to see you." She could hear the desperation in his voice but she was barely paying attention to him for fear that someone would overhear them.

"Actually, I'm not there. I'm not in New York." She told him stiffly.

"Well, where are you?" His tone sounded slightly annoyed by her revelation.

"I, um, I'm…" she couldn't tell him where she really was. She would have to make something up. "…I'm in Stars Hollow. Visiting my mom."

"But I really wanted to see you. We hardly ever spend any time together, Rory." Something in his tone finally caught her attention. He sounded sincere, like he genuinely wanted to see her.

"I'm sorry Daniel. Maybe next weekend." She offered softening her tone.

"Oh forget it!" With that, he hung up on her and she let out a huge sigh.

"Was that Daniel?" Rory jumped out of her skin as she heard Francie behind her.

"Oh my god! You scared me!" Rory placed her hand over her thumping heart.

"Sorry." Francie moved into the room and closed the door over behind them. She looked like she had something on her mind and Rory was seriously hoping that it had nothing to do with the state of her relationship with either Daniel or Logan.

"What did he want?" No such luck.

"He just wanted to see me." Rory placed her cell phone back on the nightstand and settled back on the bed. Francie sat down. She gave her one of her knowing looks and Rory let out a sigh.

"Don't quiz me on Daniel. I just want a stress free weekend. Okay?"

"Okay." Francie nodded. Rory was relieved. This weekend was going to be stressful there was no getting away from that, but she just wanted to leave her complicated relationship with Daniel out of it for a few days. She needed a break from him.

Rory ran her hands through her hair and let out a tired yawn before resting her eyes on Francie's unusually despondent features.

"Hey." She reached out her hand and squeezed Francie's leg. "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing. I don't want to bug you with my problems." Francie brushed it off, but clearly whatever was wrong with her wasn't so easily brushed off.

"How many times have you listened to me rambling on and on about my many problems? Talk to me." She smiled softly at her friend and Francie gave in.

"I think Finn's going to break up with me." She said it all in one breath. Rory frowned as she considered her words.

"What? That's ridiculous. Francie, Finn is nuts about you." She told her only stating the obvious. "Why would you think he's going to break up with you?"

"Well, because everything has been going so well and that's usually the point where the guy gets bored and decides to go dip his ink elsewhere."

"Wait. You think he's going to cheat on you?" Rory was perplexed. She knew Finn had a colourful past, but he didn't seem like the cheating type.

"Why not? That's what they do."

"What who do?"

"Guys." Francie's voice rose slightly higher. "It's in their make-up. I mean it wouldn't be the first time someone…" Her voice trailed off piquing Rory's interest.

"It wouldn't be the first time what?"

"Nothing. Just forget it."

"No. Francie tell me. Who cheated on you?" Francie lowered her gaze to the bedcovers.

"Francie?" She placed her hand on her arm in a comforting gesture. "Talk to me, please?"

Francie lifted her eyes to meet Rory's. She studied her face closely for a few moments wondering if now really was the right time to tell her the truth about her so-called best friend.

"Was it Steve?" Rory knew how in love Francie had been with her ex-boyfriend. Everything had been so wonderful between them and then suddenly it was over. Francie never told her what happened.

Francie averted her eyes from Rory's as she felt a pang at the mention of his name.

"He cheated on you?" Rory held her arm tighter trying to meet her gaze. "Who with?"

Francie said nothing. She wanted to. More than anything, she wanted to be honest with her friend. She wanted to tell her all the horrible things that her 'friend' Caitlin had done, but she couldn't do it. If she did, it would mean that she would have to tell her the truth about Sean too. Rory had dated him for a while and was heartbroken when she found out that he was seeing someone else behind her back. That someone was Caitlin.

Francie knew Rory about as well as she knew anyone and she knew that Rory liked to see the best in people. If she found out the truth it would break her heart.

So, she kept quiet. She would once again bite her tongue. It was for the best. She wanted to protect Rory and by keeping silent, she would be doing that.

"It doesn't matter." Francie shook her head and stood up. Rory's concerned eyes following her, making her feel even guiltier. Wanting to protect her wasn't the only reason for not telling Rory. Fear and guilt were also big factors. She didn't want to risk losing Rory. If she found out that Francie had known about Caitlin this whole time, she would never forgive her.

"Francie…"

"It's okay. Seriously. Its ancient history. "She tried to reassure her. Rory wasn't buying it. She studied her friend sceptically.

"Francie-"

"There is one thing you could do though, if you wanted to help me." Francie smiled at her. If there was one way of relieving her guilt it would be to see her friend happy.

"What?"

"You could go talk to Logan for me. Ask him if Finn's said anything to him." Francie's smile widened as Rory's eyebrows rose.

"Why don't you talk to Logan?"

"Because he'll know I'm trying to get info out of him. He won't tell me anything. But he'll talk to you." She explained hoping that her reasoning made some kind of sense.

"Francie." Rory sank back on the bed resigned to her impending fate. She had thought she would have seen the last of Logan Huntzberger for one day. Apparently not. "He's probably in bed by now."

"Rory its ten thirty." Francie quirked an eyebrow at her and smiled. "And actually, he's in the hot tub. I just saw him."

Rory's eyes flashed full of panic as she contemplated being alone with Logan in a hot tub.

"I don't think so." She shook her head vigorously. Francie laughed.

"Oh come on. Just go talk to him. Get the 411. Please?" She fluttered her eyelashes at her and clasped her hands in front of her.

"Francie." Rory whined and then banged her head against the wall in defeat. "I don't have anything to wear."

At that, Francie skipped off towards the dresser and pulled out the dreaded white bikini. Rory's eyes filled with horror.

"No! There is no way I am wearing that thing in the hot tub with Logan Huntzberger!"

"Oh come on. It's cute." Francie twirled the piece of string on her finger.

"It's indecent."

"Rory, please? For me?" Rory glared at her for a moment and then let out a heavy sigh in defeat. She grabbed the miniscule pieces of fabric from Francie's grasp and stomped off towards the bedroom.

"Fine!" She banged the door shut behind her and Francie couldn't help but laugh to herself. Logan was about to get his socks knocked off when he saw her in that thing.

RLRLRLRL

Francie, Caitlin, her mother and God; they were all on her hit list. She wanted to kill them all. She wanted to kill Francie for making her do this. She was actually on her way outside to sit in a hot tub with Logan Huntzberger, wearing something which was slightly larger than a piece of dental floss.

Caitlin was next on her hit list because she had purchased the damn thing. Plus she was the reason she was here in the first place. 

Stupid revenge plan!

Her mother had found her way onto her hit list purely for giving birth to her. If she hadn't then she wouldn't be in this situation. Finally, the lord almighty was on her list. After all, he was the one who apparently created the world. He was the one who created humanity and therefore the person who decided it would be a good idea to make a bikini out of practically no material.

_Death to them all! _

As she approached the patio doors, she froze as she considered what she was about to do. Her whole body shivered and it wasn't just from the cold. She was snug in her fluffy bathrobe but underneath was a whole different story. She knew Caitlin had given her this bikini to use in her bid to seduce Logan but she just didn't have the confidence to let anyone see her in it.

However, she would have to suck it up and just do it.

_I can do this! _

No, she really couldn't. She was about to turn back and leave the way she came, when she heard his voice calling her from outside.

"Rory! Come on out here!"

Another shiver crept over her body and she closed her eyes, breathing deeply and counting to ten.

_1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 10 and a half!_

"Gilmore! Get your cute butt out here" She could hear him laughing now. Taking one last deep breath, she tightened the knot in her robe and tried to ignore the knot in her stomach and then took a step forward out onto the patio. She caught sight of him sitting in the hot tub. He was alone.

She took another step; her breathing was getting louder by the second. She had never felt so nervous in her entire life.

By the time she reached the tub, Logan had his back to her as he leaned against the edge, pouring himself some more wine. She sneaked an admiring glance at him as the light from the underwater bulb cast a warm glow over his back. She tried to ignore the water dripping off of his rippling muscles as well as the sudden tightness in her groin.

When he turned back to face her, he held a glass of wine in his hand and a huge grin on his face.

"Are you planning on joining me?" He asked playfully.

"I was thinking about it." She replied nervously biting her lip as he watched her. His grin grew wider, if that was at all possible, while he waited for her to get in.

"Well…come on in. What's stopping you?" He took a sip of wine but kept his eyes firmly on her. He arched his brow suggestively and then gave her a knee weakening smirk. "I don't bite."

Rory decided just to get it over with. Slowly, she started undoing the knot in the ties and then her eyes flew back to Logan. His eyes were now smouldering with anticipation of seeing what she was hiding under her robe. He was sure it was a sight to be seen.

Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and then removed the robe from her body. She felt her whole body flush with embarrassment as she stood there practically exposed. When she reopened her eyes, she was met with a look of such intensity and lust; she felt her body tremble and her heart rate speed up.

Logan's jaw dropped as soon as she lost the robe. Rory stood before him wearing the tiniest two-piece bikini he had ever laid eyes on. It was made of string, literally. There were two tiny triangles covering her beautiful breasts and the bottoms…left very little to the imagination. He was suddenly very happy that he was alone in the hot tub at that moment.

His eyes trailed greedily over her body, taking in the glorious sight before him. She was mesmerising. Truly breathtaking. He gulped down the rest of his wine quickly and let his eyes linger over her curves. She truly was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

"Wow." He said breathlessly. There were no other words to describe her. She smiled shyly and then made her way towards the tub. Logan couldn't take his eyes off her as she climbed up the steps and dipped her foot in the water.

"It's hot!" Logan couldn't have agreed more.

_**A/N: Ah! Logan in a hot tub…now there's a nice visual for you all. There will be more to come in the next chapter plus Colin will be declaring his undying love to Rory. Intrigued? Me too. Please review or Logan won't feel the love he so deserves. And Rory is in a not tub wearing practically nothing. With Logan Freaking Huntzberger people! The least you can do is show her some support. LOL. Thanks. **_


	10. 9: The Trick is to Keep Breathing

_**A/N: I kind of got the impression from all of your reviews that you want more of Logan in a hot tub. Well, here he is. LOL. I hope it lives up to the hype. Oh and a quick shout out to Mariana. Happy Birthday. Here is your gift from me. Have a good one. **_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls or a hot tub. Or Logan. Sadly. **_

Just Her Luck

Chapter Nine: The Trick is to Keep Breathing

"It's hot!" She dipped her foot in the water and Logan nearly choked on his wine. His eyes trailed over her body and it was all he could do just to stay at his side of the tub. He felt a twitch in his groin and he tried not to think about ripping the barely-there bikini off of her and ravishing her body in the hot tub.

He turned away from her as he realised that he had finished his glass of wine and decided to pour her one too. She looked a little nervous about the situation. When he turned back, he was a little disappointed to see she was submerged up to her shoulders and there was no perfect view of her beautiful body to distract him any more. He wasn't sure whether that was a good thing or a bad thing.

He smiled at her as he shook the inappropriate thoughts from his mind and handed her the wine glass. She smiled back at him shyly and accepted the glass, taking a sip to calm her nerves. Logan sat back at the other side of the hot tub, unable to keep his eyes off her as she ran her fingers through her now dripping wet hair. She met his gaze briefly and gave him a lazy smile.

"This is nice." She said in a quiet voice. He could hardly hear her over the thumping of his heart and the thrumming in his ears. He nodded and proceeded to openly stare at her. He was sure he was making her uncomfortable but he couldn't help it. Having her there with him was like all of his birthdays and Christmas' rolled into one.

After a few more minutes of silence and staring; Logan cleared his throat and realised that he should perhaps say something to make her feel less awkward and to reassure her that he wasn't some kind of weirdo. Plus, he needed to distract himself from the impure thoughts running through his mind.

"So, are you glad you came this weekend?" He touched his glass to his lips waiting for her answer. She glanced at him and smiled.

"Yeah, I am. It's good to be away from the city for a few days." Logan laughed and downed more wine. He was starting to feel a slight buzz from the alcohol.

"It's hardly the outback, Rory." Rory blushed and stared down at her glass of wine. She had barely touched it.

"You know what I mean." She chastised him with a frown forming on her beautiful face. Logan nodded. He knew exactly what she meant. He loved New York as much as the next guy, but it was nice to get away from all the hubbub and just enjoy himself for a few days without the everyday stresses of work. Although, he was sure his father would make certain to find time at Honor's birthday party to introduce him to more of his business associates. He inwardly groaned at the prospect. However, his eyes fell upon Rory once more, and he was back in his happy little bubble.

He noticed her watching him from under her lashes and instantly his interest was piqued. "What?"

"Why did you jump to Caitlin's defence earlier tonight when Honor was talking about her? I thought you of all people hated her the most, why…?"

Logan frowned and sank deeper into the incredibly soothing warm water. "I wasn't defending Caitlin, Rory. I was defending you."

That seemed to surprise her. Her eyebrows shot up and she fixed him with a careful stare. "Why?"

Logan sighed and pushed himself up slightly as he drifted into the centre of the hot tub, closing the gap between them.

"Because, I know you and Caitlin are still close and I didn't want you to feel uncomfortable here. I don't want you to feel like you have to choose."

Rory furrowed her brow. "Choose?" Logan ran an unsteady hand through his dripping hair and met her gaze. "Choose between what?"

"Between her and me. I wasn't sure I'd win and…well…I like you. A lot. I don't want to push you…"

His voice trailed off and she could see the insecurity in his eyes. He looked so vulnerable, so un-Logan-like. Gone was the confident, cockiness that she knew so well. It was replaced by something sincere, something sweet even. She felt her stomach flutter and her heartbeat quicken as his chocolate brown eyes bored into hers.

"Have you talked to Finn lately?" She decided to quickly change the subject. Anything to do with Caitlin and Logan and his feelings was a little too close to home for her right now. So, she decided to play it safe and talk about the thing which she had originally planned to talk to him about.

She noticed the softness in his eyes fade to a look of confusion. "Finn?"

"Yeah. You know, tall, dark hair, Australian accent, can constantly be found with a liquor bottle in his hand?" She said teasingly. Logan's face relaxed and he laughed freely.

"Oh yeah. What about him?" He topped his glass with more wine offering her some to which she shook her head to decline.

"Well, has he mentioned anything to you about Francie?"

"Are you kidding me? She's all the man talks about. It would get incredibly annoying if it wasn't kind of sweet."

"What do you mean?" She took another sip of her wine and peered at him.

"Well, I think it's pretty clear to say that he is completely in love with her."

"Really?" She looked up, her voice slightly higher than she wanted.

"Absolutely. He's obsessed with her. I've never seen him so…happy."

"So, he hasn't mentioned anything to you about breaking up with her?"

"Um, no." He frowned and stretched his arm along the side of the hot tub, flexing his muscles. Rory tried not to stare. "Why would you think that?"

"Well, it wasn't so much me as Francie's got it into her head that he's going to get bored of her and go looking elsewhere."

Logan narrowed his eyes and cocked his head to the side. "Why would she think that?"

"Because he's a guy. Apparently she has had bad experience in the past." She shrugged not noticing the flicker of anger in Logan's eyes.

"So? What does that have to do with Finn?"

"Nothing. But he has led a fairly colourful life in the past." Logan shook his head in annoyance.

"What? So, because he used to sleep around that means that he's going to cheat on Francie?"

"I didn't say that."

"No. But that's what you implied." He could feel his own personal frustration leaking into his argument despite himself. "You think that once a player, always a player. That a person can't change if he meets the right woman?"

"When did this become about me?"

"It's always about you, Rory."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that you don't trust me. It means that you can't see what's staring you right in the face."

"And what's that?"

"Me." He grabbed her arm and pulled her up from her seated position catching her by surprise. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed her body flush against his. He stared down at her for a few seconds, his chest heaving, his blood pumping through his veins and then he crashed his mouth down hard on hers.

It took her brain a few seconds to realise what was happening but she didn't try to resist him. She didn't try to stop him or pull away. Instead, her fingers found their way into his hair and she pressed her body firmly against his as the water dripped from them both. Her lips moved against his in their frenzied, passionate kiss. She felt goose bumps all over her body as the cold air hit them both. Logan felt her shiver and lowered them back into the water, never breaking contact with her. His hands roamed over her slick back and she moaned when they covered her butt. She felt him hard against her as all of her blood raced to her groin. Her whole body was on fire as he found her pulse point with his tongue. She wrapped her legs tight around his waist and ached for him to be infinitely closer to her. Logan's hands were still on her butt but they were now inside her bikini bottoms instead of on the outside. She felt him lower the flimsy material on her hips and that's what finally snapped her out of her lust-filled haze.

If she allowed him to lower them any more then she would find herself alone in a hot tub with Logan, with her lower half completely exposed and there was no saying what would happen next. As much as she loved the feelings he was exciting in her and as much as her whole body screamed for more, she couldn't do…that. She couldn't have sex with him in a Jacuzzi where anyone could appear at any given time. She couldn't have sex with him. Period. It just wouldn't feel right. Not like this.

"Logan…" She breathed trying to get his attention but he was too far gone to hear her. He groaned and lowered one of her bikini straps with his nose. He trailed a series of hot kisses over her arm and she shuddered as she felt his fingers playing with the string of her bottoms.

"Logan…" She pressed the palm of her hands on his chest and tried with all she had to push him away. It didn't work. She felt him untie the strings of her bottoms and instantly her eyes flew wide open and she was tugging the strings from him and moving out from under him. Logan slowly opened his eyes as confusion reigned over his flushed features. He was panting hard and seriously missing the contact.

"What…what's wrong?" He turned to look at her but she was busy trying to fix herself and calm down at the same time.

_Breathe, Rory!_

"We got a little carried away." She finally met his gaze and could see they were still darkened from before. It was all she could do not to just throw herself back into his arms and let him have her.

Logan ran an unsteady hand through his hair as he tried to regain his mental faculties. His breathing was still ragged and he had a rather obvious problem down below. Not that she could really see it under the water, but she had felt it before and knew by the way he was looking at her, it was still present.

"I…I'm sorry. I didn't…"

"It's okay." She shook her head and lowered herself back down so the water covered her body once more, trying not to give him any more temptation.

"Wow." He echoed her move and rest his back against the side of the hot tub. Things had definitely just gotten a hell of a lot steamier in there than he had ever thought possible.

He ran his hand over his face using the water to cool him down. However, considering it was a hot tub and the water wasn't very cool, it didn't really work. When he opened his eyes again, Rory was reaching behind for the bottle of wine and pouring herself another drink. That was a good idea. Maybe the alcohol would calm him…

His eyes almost popped out of their sockets when she turned back to face him. He couldn't look away; it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. All of her turning and reaching and pouring had caused one of the flimsy triangles covering her breasts to move out of place, thus exposing her soft, supple flesh to his gaping eyes.

His jaw fell and his breath caught in his throat. He could feel the blood flowing to his groin and he struggled not to reach over and touch her. She was unaware of the fact that she was currently giving him a peep show and he felt exceedingly guilty about looking. He tried to avert his eyes, but he couldn't help himself. His breathing was becoming heavy once again as he fought the urge to suckle on her sweet…

"What's wrong?" His eyes tore themselves off her beautiful breast and held her gaze. He was sure he looked guilty as hell but he couldn't stop the wide, mischievous grin from forming on his face. Rory frowned at him.

"Um, you might want to fix…that." He hesitated briefly lowering his eyes for one last long, appraising glance before she realised what he was talking about. Her eyes widened in horror and she covered herself with her hands. Logan couldn't stop the laughter from escaping as she blushed from head to toe, hiding her previously exposed body part under the water.

"That's one way to get my attention." He added much to her mortification. Her face paled despite the heated temperature of the water and he was sure she was about to run as fast as she could. He was loathed to see that happen. So he decided the best plan was to stop teasing her and change the subject. "More wine?"

She braved a look at him and quickly nodded. She looked so incredibly embarrassed. He found it adorable and incredibly sexy. Although, he was fairly certain that he would find her sexy in any situation possible. He moved over beside her and reached for the bottle of wine. He took her glass from her; she kept her eyes averted from him and her hands covering her chest. Once he had refilled both their glasses he sat down in the water beside her and couldn't help but stare at her, although he made a conscious effort not to stare at her chest.

"Here's to Honor's birthday!" He said with a smile on his face, trying to ease her awkwardness. She slowly lifted her gaze to meet his and he chinked his glass against hers. "Cheers."

"Cheers." she whispered almost silently. He drank from the glass but could feel her bashful gaze still on him. He turned to see her and after a few seconds of silence they both burst into a fit of giggles.

She still felt unbelievably embarrassed about what had happened. It was just typical luck for her. There she was trying desperately to prevent him from seeing one half of her body only for him to end up getting an eyeful of the other half. It was just her luck. But she couldn't stop laughing. It was either that or submerge herself under the water and hope that she drowned quickly.

The laughter eventually died down and they held each other's eyes, both remembering their scorching encounter. Logan's gaze lowered to her lips. He really wanted to kiss her again and Rory was fairly certain that she would let him.

As he moved in closer, her pulse started racing and she could feel her whole body tingle in anticipation. He closed the gap and she could feel his breath on her face and just as he was about to place the softest kiss on her lips, a voice called out to them from the door way.

"Hey guys! Mind if I join you?" It was Colin. Logan groaned and Rory giggled again as he pulled away from her to glare at Colin.

"Sure. Come on in." He said with a slight hint of sarcasm in his tone. Colin didn't notice.

Logan moved a safer distance from Rory and she missed his body heat. However, she could still feel his heated gaze on her. It made her shiver.

"So, what's going on?" Colin asked cheerily. He was perfectly oblivious to what had just occurred between the other two a mere five minutes before he interrupted.

"Nothing much." Rory shrugged and sipped on her wine. A small smile played on her lips as she remembered the feel of Logan's hands on her. She sneaked a peek at Logan. He was staring back with smouldering eyes. Her body shuddered and she knew that she had to get out of there. Even with Colin around, she wasn't sure if she could resist the pull she felt towards Logan.

"Yeah. Nothing much." Logan said flatly, his eyes fixed hungrily on Rory. Colin looked at him and then at the brunette whom he was sure was blushing.

"Huh." He was definitely missing something.

"I'm getting kind of tired. I think I'm going to head to bed." Rory let out a fake yawn and placed her glass on the side of the tub. She kept her hands in place to prevent any more of her being exposed causing Logan to snigger.

She smiled at them both and then stood up in the tub and moved through the water and climbed as gracefully as she could out of the hot tub. She could feel eyes on her as she did so. She turned back to see both Logan and Colin staring lustfully at her. Logan noticed where Colin's gaze was too and so he splashed him.

"Hey."

"Keep your eyes of her." He warned him in a sober tone. Colin looked at him innocently and Rory giggled again. She found her robe and tied it firmly once more, a little relieved to not be as exposed. Logan made a little noise in protest which made her smile knowingly back at him.

"Sweet dreams, Rory. I know I will." Logan beamed at her and she shook her head and rolled her eyes before waving to both of them.

As she made her way back to her bedroom, she had a huge grin on her face. Her mind was clouded with thoughts of Logan. Of Logan's lips, his hands on her body, his breath on her skin. Of the way he made her feel with just one touch.

She did not think for one second about Caitlin or her plan or anything else. She had Logan on her mind and she couldn't deny the little flutter she felt in her stomach and in her chest and all over her body.

RLRLRLRLRL

Rory lay in bed in her darkened room staring mindlessly at the ceiling. She lowered her gaze to the clock on the side of the table and saw that it was only eleven thirty and she was still wide awake. She felt restless, she felt antsy. Her mind was running away with itself and no matter how hard she tried she could not go to sleep.

She let out a frustrated sigh and threw the covers off of her. Maybe she could read a book for a while until she felt tired. That is if she could concentrate on it for more than two seconds.

Slowly, she climbed out of bed and padded across the room to where her bag was. She knew she had brought some books with her; she just wasn't sure which ones. As she kneeled on the floor and turned on the light, there was a knock on the door. She jumped in surprise at the sound and instantly her stomach dropped; her first thought was of Logan.

_What if he wants a repeat of earlier?_

The thought both excited and concerned her. First of all, earlier in the hot tub had been wonderful and intense and seriously hot. However, things had almost gotten out of hand and she was pretty certain that she would need at least a night away from him to be able to build up her reserves. She wasn't sure that she would be able to hold herself back if she was left on her own with him. It was too dangerous. He was too tempting.

A second knock snapped her from her thoughts and she crossed the room towards the door. She placed her hand on the handle and took a deep breath. When she opened the door, she was surprised to see Colin standing smiling at her.

"Colin?"

"Hey Rory." He waved and leaned against the side of the door.

"Um, hey. What are you doing here?" She looked over his shoulder to see if he was alone. He was, much to her disappointment. "Are you lost?"

"I have to talk to you, Rory. It's important." He said straightening up his posture. His eyes were firm on her and she tried to focus on him. She was sure she noticed him swaying slightly.

"Okay. What's going on?" She opened the door for him to enter and followed after him, leaving the door still wide open.

"There is something that I have to tell you. And I've been fighting it for a while, but I just can't hide it any more." He turned to face her with his brows furrowed. She folded her arms over her chest and studied him. His eyes looked a little red.

"Okay." She spoke wearily as she waited for him to tell her what was on his mind. He took a few minutes before speaking again. He moved around her like he was stalking his prey. Then suddenly he stopped and spun to face her.

"I love you."

"What!?" Her eyes flew open and her jaw hit the floor.

"I love you." He said it again. His face was completely straight. He was being serious. She was in shock. She never saw that coming.

"Um, Colin…I…" She was completely speechless. She had no idea what to say. She had always gotten along well with Colin but she had never thought of him that way.

He took a step towards her and reached for her hand. She let him take it, still stunned by his confession.

"You are my sunshine." She scrunched up her face as she considered his words.

"Your sunshi-?"

"You make me happy when skies are grey." He continued in a soft tone. She noticed him swaying again.

"Huh?"

"You'll never know just how much I love you. So, please don't take my sunshine away." He said the last part quickly and before she knew what was happening his lips were pressed hard against hers and his hands wound around her waist.

As soon as he closed the distance she could smell the alcohol reeking off of him. He was drunk and clearly insane. She pressed her hands against his chest and tried to push him off. This proved much easier than she thought it would. However, that was only because Logan had grabbed him by the arm and was pulling Colin away with an angry look on his face.

"I didn't say you could kiss her, Colin!" He tugged on Colin's arm and he lost his balance and fell on the bed. Logan shook his head at his moronic friend and then met Rory's gaze.

"Hey Sunshine!" He smirked at her and she immediately realised that it had all been a joke. Colin wasn't declaring his undying love for her; Logan had put him up to it.

"You jerk!" She stepped forward and pushed him out of the way. Logan just started laughing as she stomped back to her bed in a huff.

"You should've seen the look on your face!" Colin was laughing now too. He was still lying on the bed. Rory shoved him and he fell off the edge which only caused Logan to laugh harder. Colin groaned in agony as he lay sprawled out on the floor. Rory peered over the bed at him and glared.

"Serves you right!" She crossed her arms over her chest and then turned her attention back to the laughing blonde.

"What? Come on, it was funny." He held up his hands in defence of himself. Rory just rolled her eyes at him, a small smile tugging at the edge of her mouth.

"What are you doing here anyway? Apart from playing stupid jokes on people." She glared at him.

Logan crossed the room, he was wearing boxers and a robe and his hair was still wet having just gotten out of the hot tub. He stopped in front of her and lowered his face to meet hers and smiled.

"I just thought I could tuck you in." He said in a husky voice which caused her whole body to shiver as she breathed him in. He smirked at the effect he had on her and straightened up. Rory watched in awe as she traced a drop of water from his hair as it fell onto his chest and made its way all the way down to his waistline. She unconsciously licked her lips as her envious eyes burned into him. She looked up to meet his eyes and was surprised to see so much lust staring back at her. He knew exactly what she was thinking.

"Ooh! Look what I found!" For the second time that night, Colin interrupted them. And she wasn't sure whether she was grateful or disappointed. "Tequila!" He exclaimed in a terrible Spanish accent.

"Cool!" Logan moved away from her and started searching the wet bar for three shot glasses. "Care to make a night of it, Sunshine?"

Rory realised that he was talking to her as she snapped out of her daze. She was still thinking about that drop of water.

"Huh? Oh, I think it's a little late for that."

"Nonsense. As Finn would say, 'it's never too late for tequila'." Colin grinned and climbed back up onto the edge of the bed and unscrewed the cap of the bottle. Logan returned with the three shot glasses and Rory sighed resigned to the fact that she wasn't going to get rid of them any time soon. She stood up and made her way to the head of the bed where she climbed in under the covers. Logan sat beside her, above the covers while Colin poured the drinks.

"We don't have any lemon slices." Rory reminded them. Logan just shrugged it off.

"We like to drink it straight. It puts hairs on your chest." Colin informed her as he finished pouring the drinks.

"I don't really want any hairs on my chest. Thanks." She said quietly. Logan laughed again and then eased himself down on the bed, moving closer to her.

"No, Rory's chest is perfect just the way it is. Right, Sunshine?" He winked at her and she immediately felt herself blush as her mind went back to her embarrassing incident in the hot tub. She really didn't want to think about it again. So, she took the shot glass that Colin offered her and downed the contents in one go.

Her throat stung and her eyes watered as she swallowed. She gasped and held her throat. Logan and Colin stared at her in awe.

"Aagh!" She felt her throat was on fire and she desperately needed something to cool her down.

"Here." Logan handed her a bottle of water with a grin on his face. She unscrewed the cap and poured the cool liquid down her burning throat. Once she had emptied the bottle, she lay back on the bed and sighed relieved that her throat had calmed down. Logan and Colin were still staring at her. "Strong?"

"Little bit." She nodded and then the other two collapsed in laughter.

"Okay, so what should we drink to?" Logan asked as he refilled Rory's glass. She looked at him as if he was insane. She was never drinking that stuff ever again. Climbing out of bed, she headed over to the tiny bar and opened the door to the refrigerator. She pulled out another bottle of water and then padded back to bed while Colin was trying to come up with an idea for a toast.

"Why don't we play truth or dare?" He suggested and Rory cringed. She really didn't want to play games. Not tonight.

"We're not five years old Colin."

Logan smiled and shrugged his shoulders. "It's fine by me."

"Why does that not surprise me?" She rolled her eyes and he laughed again.

"Okay. Colin, you go first." Logan settled back against the pillows, his robe falling open allowing Rory a very nice view of his lean stomach and abs as well as his stunning pectoral muscles. He did have a really great body. She was suddenly even more envious of that drop of water.

"Fine." Colin nodded from the foot of the bed.

"Truth or dare?" Logan smiled mischievously at Rory as Colin considered both options.

"Truth."

"Okay. Have you ever kissed Finn?"

Colin's face paled and he glared at Logan. Rory immediately sprang up from her relaxed position.

"You kissed Finn?!" She asked incredulously. Logan just chuckled as Colin sent him a death glare.

"I was drunk. He was wearing a wig and I thought he was someone else." He admitted reluctantly. Rory looked to Logan for conformation and then she burst into a fit of hysterical laughter.

"I'm so going to kill you, Huntzberger!" Colin warned him and Logan just smirked.

"Oh my god! Was he a good kisser?" Rory asked fighting the giggles that had consumed her.

"I don't know. I purged it from my memory. Let's move on. Logan, truth or dare?" He asked as his face reddened with the humiliation.

"Dare."

"Take a shot." Rory suggested as she calmed herself down.

"Fine." He downed the contents of his shot glass and winced as the fiery liquid slid down his throat. Rory watched in awe before handing him her water bottle. He gratefully accepted and washed it down.

"I believe it's your turn, Gilmore." Logan smiled at Rory who just sighed in resignation.

"Fine. But I'm not doing another shot." She said insistently. She wasn't going to go through that kind of pain again.

"Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"Who's a better kisser? Logan or Me?"

Logan smirked at Rory and she could feel her face turn red once again as her mind flashed back to earlier. She felt his eyes boring into her as she tried to come up with an answer. Deciding to take the easy way out, she settled on Colin.

"I think I'd have to go with Colin on that one. I mean, he does have more experience, what with Finn and all." She laughed again as did Logan. Colin was not amused.

"Ha-ha. Everybody's a comedian." He lay down on the foot of the bed, resting his head in the palm of his hand and scowled at them both. He took a shot as Rory noticed Logan shivering beside her.

"Are you cold?"

"A little bit. I'd be a bit warmer under there with you, though. Mind if I join you under the covers?" Rory's eyes widened slightly and she chewed on her lower lip as she considered his request.

"Are your swimming trunks dry?" Logan nodded and he smiled at her with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

She nodded hesitantly in reply, unable to speak. Logan's smirk grew and he jumped up off the bed, stripped off his robe and climbed under the covers beside her.

"Hey! That's not fair." Colin complained as he noticed the pair of them snug and warm under the covers. "How come he gets to snuggle under the covers? I'm the one who just declared my undying love for you!"

Rory just shrugged as Logan settled in beside her.

"Are you sure you're dry?" She asked trying to sound unfazed by the fact that he had moved so close to her. She could feel his arm pressed against hers.

"Feel for yourself!" Before she could process his words, Logan grabbed her hand and pulled it under the covers to touch the fabric of his boxers. Rory froze taken aback by such a bold move, she didn't even register whether they were dry or not. Her eyes flashed to Logan's face to see him smirking back at her. Her heart was thumping erratically in her chest as she tried to calm herself down.

"Hey, keep your hands where I can see 'em you two." Colin chastised them and Rory blushed. Logan let go of her hand and just snuggled even closer to her, if that was at all possible.

"So, whose turn is it?" Logan asked coolly while Rory pulled the covers further over her chest. She wished she could pull them over her head, her cheeks were still burning.

RLRLRLRL

"How can you just down them like that?" Rory asked amazed at Logan's alcohol tolerance. Logan just shrugged and calmly poured himself another shot of Tequila.

"It's one of my many gifts." He gave her a knowing look and arched his eyebrow at her. Rory just smiled and shook her head at his obvious flirtatious behaviour.

"Well, I'm impressed."

"Thank you." He nodded graciously and then chuckled. "So, Colin it's your turn. Truth or…?"

His voice trailed of when he turned his attention away from Rory to see his best friend sprawled out unconscious at the end of the bed. They both laughed when he started snoring.

"Light weight." He shook his head in mock disgust at his friend and then smiled back at Rory. "I guess that means it's your turn again. Truth or dare?"

Rory sighed heavily as she considered both options. They had been playing Truth or Dare now for about an hour and as she was not willing to do another shot she had kept picking 'truth' as her option. She had revealed a lot in the last hour, ranging from her favourite colour to her favourite sexual position.

"Dare."

Logan's eyebrows rose in surprise and he smiled broadly. "Wow! I didn't think you had it in you."

Rory just shrugged and took a sip from her water bottle. "I like to keep you on your toes."

Logan laughed and sat straight up against the headboard.

"So, what? Do you want me to do another shot?"

"Ah ah ah! Not so fast." Logan wagged his finger at her as a mischievous smile formed on his face. Rory instantly knew then that it had been a bad idea to choose to do a dare when Logan was around. Who knew what he would make her do?

"Okay. I have a dare for you that doesn't require any alcohol of any kinds."

Rory narrowed her eyes and looked at him suspiciously. "Oh really?"

"Yep." Logan nodded unable to hold back the grin from his face. "Kiss me."

Rory studied him for a long moment and then gave in. She felt her stomach flutter at the prospect of kissing him again. "Fine."

Her voice came out sounding stubborn and reserved as if she was reluctant to kiss him but inside, her heart was racing and she felt nervous. However, her nerves quickly faded as she noticed the cocky smirk on his face. He was so pleased with himself. He looked almost smug.

She sat up and moved towards him, closing the distance between them. She stopped when her face was inches from his and breathed in his scent. Logan had a huge grin on his face. Rory watched him for a few seconds. He looked so beautiful up close. Her eyes fixated on his smooth, plump lips. She licked her own in anticipation and then as she was about to place a gentle kiss on his mouth, she stopped suddenly getting an idea in her head. She was supposed to be the one with the upper hand. She was supposed to be the one who was seducing him but she had lost complete control of the situation. So, in order to regain some of that control, she decided to have a little fun with him.

Smiling softly, she placed her hand on his cheek and ran it up through his messy hair. She gently moved his head slightly to the side and then leaned in to kiss him. "Close your eyes."

Her voice sounded like a whisper and he did as she asked. The grin was still on his face. However, she didn't kiss him. At least not where he was expecting her to. She kissed him on the neck, just behind his ear.

Logan's body shuddered as she pulled away and he slowly opened his eyes to see her smiling proudly at him. "You weren't specific about where I was supposed to kiss you."

Logan admired her coquettish smile and couldn't help but feel turned on by her. He had to admit she had surprised him but feeling her lips on his neck was just as pleasant as having them anywhere else.

Well, almost anywhere else!

"That's okay. I'll take whatever I can get." He admitted his eyes were locked on hers.

"Truth or dare?" She asked him in a hushed tone still holding his gaze.

"Truth." He replied distracted by her cerulean orbs. Rory chewed on her lower lip as she thought of a question for him to answer.

"Have you ever been in love?"

"What kind of question is that?" Logan frowned slightly. Once again she had taken him by surprise.

"I want to know. Come on," she shoved him with her arm, "you have to answer. Honestly."

Logan sighed resigned to her question. "Okay fine. But if I answer then you have to do a dare next time."

Deal." Rory nodded and Logan smiled already knowing which dare he would have her do.

"What was the question again?" He asked with a playful smile, buying himself some time.

Rory just rolled her eyes. "Have you ever been in love?"

"No." He said simply. He wasn't being entirely truthful with her, but he wasn't quite sure where he stood with her yet to feel comfortable enough to spill his guts like that.

"No?" She narrowed her eyes at him. "You've never been in love?"

"Nope."

"What about Caitlin?"

"What about her?" He asked casually.

"You were going to marry her."

"So?"

"So, you were going to marry someone you didn't love?"

Logan shrugged and settled back under the covers with her, careful not to kick a still sleeping Colin with his foot.

"Rory, in my world people don't always marry for love." That seemed to irritate her. She turned so she was facing him and studied his expression seriously.

"Okay. So, it was just a marriage of convenience?"

"I guess."

"She was just your trophy wife?" Logan shrugged again. "And you were okay with that?"

"I was." He paused and met her gaze straight on. "And then you came along."

He saw the surprise flicker through her eyes at that. It was true; he never really truly loved Caitlin. She was just the girl who would look good on his arm and for the longest time he thought that was all that mattered. He didn't give much consideration to love or any of that other stuff. Not until Rory came into his life.

After six months of dating Caitlin he had decided to make an honest woman out of her. However, under the surface, he found that his feelings for Rory were quickly becoming something more than just friendly. Having never experienced those types of feelings before and being scared of what it meant, he had decided to ask Caitlin to marry him. He would've waited slightly longer but after kissing Rory that night in her apartment, when she came home distraught over her cheating boyfriend, it had freaked him out so much that the very next morning he popped the question.

He had never regretted that moment more than he did right now. He stared down into her depthless blue eyes and felt his heart swell. He was truly captivated by her and she had no idea.

"Whose turn is it?" She asked hesitantly. Her voice sounding rather breathless as he held her gaze.

"It's your turn. Remember our deal." He reminded her of her agreement to choose to do another dare. "Truth or dare, Rory?"

Rory's whole body shivered at the husky tone in his voice. His brown eyes were boring down on hers so intently she had to look away.

"Dare."

"Kiss me." His arm brushed against her soft, warm body and he felt his skin tingle with anticipation. Rory kept her eyes lowered for a few more seconds but he could see her chest heaving slightly.

After a few more seconds of silence between them, Rory lifted her head up and met his gaze. Slowly, she moved forward and kissed him softly on the lips. Again, she caught him by surprise. He hadn't expected her to kiss him on the mouth.

As her mouth moved slowly against his, he wound his fingers through her hair and deepened the kiss. Rory let out a moan as his tongue clashed with hers. She pressed her body against his and wrapped her arms around him.

When she broke away, they both panted erratically desperate for some much needed oxygen. Logan smiled down at her. "I didn't tell you where to kiss me."

Rory laughed and the sound was like music to his ears. "I know."

Desperate to taste her again, Logan closed the gap between them and caught her lips in a fierce embrace. He felt her small hands on his chest pushing him away. He broke the kiss and peered down at her with heavy eyes.

"It's getting late. I think I should try and get some sleep." Logan grinned and snuggled against her.

"Don't let me stop you." He closed his eyes and wrapped his arm over her waist, pulling her to his chest as he lay on his side. Rory laughed again and shoved him off.

"You're not sleeping in my bed, Huntzberger!"

"Why not? It's nice here. I'll keep you warm. I promise." He teased but Rory was having none of it. It was one thing to let him actually be in the bed with her but she was pretty sure that she would find it absolutely impossible to get any sleep with him there. Not that she couldn't resist him, she could. Well, probably. She just didn't want him getting the wrong idea about her. A lot had happened between them tonight and she needed some time to let her mind catch up and she couldn't do that while listening to Logan breathing beside her or whilst trying to fend him off.

"Out!" She said insistently and pulled the covers off him. She was momentarily stunned by the sight of him once again half-naked in her bed, but she quickly recovered and shoved him out of the bed. "And take your friend with you."

Logan stood at the side of the bed with wide eyes. He couldn't believe she was throwing him out. He felt the cold air hit his chest and he reached for his robe. He tied the ends and then gazed mournfully back at the empty space in her bed. He pouted and Rory just giggled.

"Move it, buster!" He sighed in resignation. It didn't look like she was going to change her mind anytime soon. So, he meandered to the foot of the bed where Colin was snoring and pulled him up off the bed, throwing him over his shoulder, he carried him fireman style to the door where Rory was standing waiting for him with determination in her eyes.

"Goodnight, Sunshine." He sneaked a goodnight kiss before she could protest and then sauntered out of the room with Colin groaning on his shoulder.

Rory watched him go with a tiny smile on her face. She ran her fingers gently over her still tingling lips. His kisses were intoxicating. She was pretty sure she would need the night to recover from them. In fact, she was pretty sure she would need the night to recover from him.

_**A/N: Next chapter will be Honor's birthday party. Thanks for reading and don't forget to leave a review. They're like air to me. Thanks. J**_


	11. Chapter 10: Complications

**AN: Apologies for the long wait. I don't even know if I actually even like this chapter, but I wanted to get something out there. I dedicate this chapter to IlovecaptainJackSparrow. Thanks for the motivation :D Sorry it took so long, but I hope you enjoy. Thanks to everyone who has kept reading my little stories. It's much appreciated and keep up the good work. Cheers. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls, but as of today, I own a copy of Twilight. :D **

Just Her Luck

Chapter Ten: Complications

Honor sat at the counter in the kitchen nursing her coffee and reading the morning paper. She had a bright smile on her face. It was her birthday today and as much as she hated turning thirty, she was looking forward to the party. Well, actually she was looking forward to the gifts she would receive and the fact that her mother would no longer be driving her crazy going on about flower displays and what colour the napkins should be.

Another reason why she was so excited about the impending party was so she could put her matchmaking skills into practice. She was determined that by the time Logan and Rory left to return to New York, she would have got them to admit how they felt about each other. She wasn't going to let her little brother let this one get away.

"Morning." A tired looking Logan shuffled into the kitchen, yawning and running his fingers through his messy blonde hair. Honor turned her gaze on him and watched as he poured himself some coffee.

"Good morning, little brother of mine," she greeted him chirpily. Once Logan had some caffeine in his system, he moved over to where Honor was perched on the stool and placed a kiss on her forehead.

"Happy birthday," Honor beamed at him but her smile was quickly replaced with a frown when he snatched the paper from her grasp.

"Hey," she scolded him but he just ignored her and sat at the other side of the counter.

"So, how are the preparations for the party going?" he asked as he sipped his coffee. Honor crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him.

"Mom's handling everything. I just have to show up and look pretty."

"That'll be hard," he scoffed and Honor threw a scone at his head.

"Jerk!" Logan smirked and then returned his attention to the article he was reading. He yawned again and rubbed his eyes. He really did feel exhausted. Staying up late with Rory had really drained him, not that he was complaining. If she would have let him, he would've stayed up all night with her. He smiled to himself as he thought back to the previous night. Back to the hot tub. He could still feel her warm, wet body in his hands. He could still hear her little breathy moans and feel her soft lips on his. He couldn't believe how out of control he got when he was around her. She had the strangest effect on him.

"What are you smiling about?" He heard Honor's voice talking to him, but his mind was still elsewhere. Honor grinned and shook her head. "Like I even have to guess."

"Huh?" he broke out of his reverie and glanced up at his sister. She was staring at him with a brilliant smirk on her face. He took a sip of his coffee and shifted in his chair as he suddenly felt uncomfortable about where his mind went while in the presence of his sister.

"You really have got it bad, little brother."

"Tell me something I don't know," he said and rolled his eyes at her. Honor's smirk changed to a huge grin. She had never seen Logan act so besotted with anyone. But he really was completely hooked on Rory Gilmore. She sighed to herself as she pictured the wedding day. She would be made of honour of course and they would all live happily ever after.

"What?" Logan arched an eyebrow at her suspiciously. Honor snapped out of her thoughts and shrugged.

"I was just picturing your blonde hair and her blue eyes on a little baby," she answered excitedly. Logan frowned at Honor and stood up, desperate to get away from his maniacal sister before she started planning the wedding.

"Okay Honor, now you're starting to creep me out," he was very uncomfortable now. Not because Honor was imagining what his future offspring would look like, but because he imagined it too. And it made him happy. That was seriously disturbing on so many levels.

Honor laughed at his fearful expression and then poured another cup of coffee. "Here," she handed it to her brother and then reached across the counter to retrieve the paper that he had stolen from her, "take this to Rory when you go wake her up."

Logan furrowed his brows and stood in silent contemplation for a few seconds. He looked down at the coffee in his hands and then back at his sister, ignoring the pulse of excitement he felt at seeing Rory again. Honor was concentrated on the newspaper but she could see the glimmer of a smile on his face out of the corner of her eye. She couldn't help herself, a huge grin spread across her face and she looked at him.

"You really do have it bad!" she informed him as he stood in the middle of the kitchen holding a cup of coffee, biting his lip trying to restrain himself from sprinting to Rory's bedroom. "I've never seen you like this."

"Like what?" he asked annoyed that Honor was still present.

"Like this!" she gestured to his hesitant stance and laughed. "You're usually the cool operator. Now you're standing here like a nervous schoolgirl waiting for her prom date to show up."

Logan glared at her and turned around heading towards the door muttering about how irritating he found his sister. Honor just laughed as he sauntered out of the kitchen. She knew exactly where he was headed.

RLRLRLRLRLRL

His tongue was licking a trail over her neck; his hands were groping frantically for any piece of her. Their legs were tangled together and her arms were wrapped around his waist, pulling him infinitely closer to her body. She couldn't get enough of him. She arched her back as he began sucking on her pulse point, moaning at the glorious sensations he was causing within her. She was desperate to feel more.

"Logan…" she moaned as he bit down on her neck and his hands cupped her breasts. She heard a slight snigger in the background and it wasn't until her eyes flew open and Logan was nowhere to be seen, that she realised it had all been a dream. A hot and very vivid dream that she would love to repeat every night for the rest of her life if it was possible, but it wasn't.

She heard the sound of someone laughing and felt the bed shift beside her. Slowly, she turned around to see the man of her dreams quite literally, staring at her with an arrogant smirk plastered across his handsome face.

"You called?" he asked with a mischievous sparkle in his eyes. Rory instantly felt her cheeks warm and a sick feeling grow in the pit of her stomach as realisation dawned. She had just been having a sex dream about him. A very real sex dream and by the look on his face, she would hazard a guess that he was very much aware of that fact.

_Oh god!_

"How did you get in here?" she asked, masking her obvious embarrassment with annoyance at his presence in her bed. Logan just shrugged and snuggled down beside her, his knowing grin still prevalent on his features.

"I knocked and when I heard my name being called out, I figured you were inviting me in," he said simply and moved closer to her. Rory shivered as she caught his scent. It immediately sent flashes of her dream and of the night before to her brain and it was all she could do not to throw herself on top of him and let him do whatever he wished to her. "I didn't realise you were inviting 'dream me' to have his way with you!"

She managed to find enough presence of mind to roll her eyes at his obvious attempts at flirting. She shoved him on the shoulder and he started laughing once again. Rory's whole body was blushing with embarrassment by this point and she wanted to crawl under the covers and never surface again.

"So…?" She lifted her gaze to meet his expectant brown eyes staring back at her.

"What?" she asked completel in awe. His close proximity was playing havoc with her mental functions.

"So, are you going to fill me in on what happened in the dream?" his left eyebrow arched suggestively and the smirk on his face was devastating.

"Nope," she turned away from him and lay on her back, closing her eyes as if she was cool enough that she could just ignore him.

"I brought coffee," he tempted her by wafting the cup above her face, letting the smell of caffeine flood her system. However she remained steadfast in her resolve. She was just going to ignore him and maybe he would go away and she could try and get Logan Huntzberger out of her system.

Logan's smirk was bright and full of amusement that Rory had been having such an erotic dream about him. It thrilled him to know that she thought about him in that way. It was a sign that maybe she really did feel something for him too. Even if it was just lust, he would take it.

He watched her closely for a few minutes as she lay on her back. His eyes trailed over her beautiful face and down over the natural curves of her body. She truly was a sight to behold, and he immediately got an image in his head of what it would be like to wake up in the same bed every morning beside her. The prospect took his breath away.

An idea came to him as he watched her chest rise and fall with every breath she took. He noticed that her breathing was slightly ragged and instantly he became aware of the fact that she was affected by him right now. His smirk broadened and he couldn't help himself. He moved closer to her, his arm brushing against hers. He lifted his head up and leaned in, breathing in her scent. He adjusted his position until he was hovering above her, both arms holding his weight at the side of her head. He peered down into her glorious face and his stomach fluttered with anticipation.

"I guess I'll just have to find out for myself then," he added before lowering himself down to where his face was mere millimetres away from hers. Rory's eyes flew open as she felt his presence around her. His breath on her face sent goose bumps all over her body. She stared wide-eyed up into his darkened lust-filled eyes and couldn't resist the pull she felt to him. She was unable to control herself around him anymore. She was slave to her body's reactions.

She waited impatiently for him to kiss her. Her insides were on fire just from the anticipation she felt. When he didn't give her what she wanted, what she craved for, she decided to take it herself. Her arms wrapped around his neck and she pulled him down with a moan as their mouths finally came into contact. The kiss was harsh and brutal as they fought for domination over the other. However, it soon grew into a softer, more tender and passionate kind of kiss as they both let go of their inhibitions and insecurities.

It wasn't the first time that Rory completely lost herself to Logan's kisses. It seemed that whenever their lips touched, she lost all capacity to form a coherent thought. Everything went out the window; Caitlin, the plan, Daniel. She was helpless to the emotions that stirred in her whenever Logan was near her. It was like she had been hiding for so long and Logan was the one who had found her and made her breathe again. He made her feel out of control and free and she liked it.

His lips sucking on her pulse point brought her out of her thoughts as she ran her fingers through his already messy hair. She gasped as he bit her skin before laving it with his tongue, marking her as his. She smiled dreamily as his hands searched her body. She didn't mind him marking her. She didn't mind it at all.

"Logan…" her voice came out husky and full of need. Logan's blood stirred at the wonderful sound. If he could live the rest of his life hearing her say his name like that, he would be a happy man. He continued sucking and licking a path down her neck and over her chest. His tongue caressed the swells of her breasts and Rory shuddered underneath him. He lowered himself so that his face was in line with her stomach and pushed up her camisole top exposing the soft, tight flesh underneath it. She writhed uncontrollably as he planted soft butterfly kisses from her navel down to the waistline of her pyjama bottoms. Rory's breath hitched as she realised what he was up to. They had been here before and she knew that unless she stopped him now, there would be no going back. They would be crossing a line that would make her life so much more complicated.

She bit her lip and arched her back as Logan nipped and kissed every inch of her lower abdomen. When she felt his fingers curve into the waistband of her pyjamas and slowly tug them down over her hips, something clicked in her brain and she immediately slapped his hands away, pulled the sheet over her and sat up in bed, panting with wide horror filled eyes. Logan sat back on his haunches, his breathing just as erratic as hers, with a look of confusion on his face.

"What's wrong?" he asked studying her closely. He moved towards her and reached out to touch her but Rory was up and out of bed before he could get close enough. She stood at the side of the bed and folded her arms around her chest with a frantic expression on her face.

"I think you should go," she said seriously as she tried to control her breathing. She had been in this position twice now in the space of twenty-four hours and twice she had managed to find the presence of mind to stop things from going any further. She wasn't sure if she could do it a third time.

Logan frowned at her and slid to the edge of the bed. He sat there staring at her completely dumfounded.

"Rory…" he reached out his hand again and this time managed to grab her arm. He pulled her towards him until she was standing between his legs; he let his head rest against her stomach.

"Logan…" Rory let her resolve fall and she ran her fingers through his hair and placed a kiss on the top of his head. Logan's hands were on her thighs, caressing her, longing to touch every part of her.

"You should go," she murmured into his hair and Logan moved his head so he was looking up at her.

"Why?" he asked, his hands were still roaming over her and Rory fought every impulse just to let him do whatever he wanted to her.

"Because…" she managed to find her voice, "I don't trust myself with you."

Logan's confused state quickly disappeared to be replaced with the most beautiful smile she had ever laid eyes on. It covered his whole face. He was beaming and it made her stomach do cartwheels. For a moment she considered telling Caitlin that she couldn't go through with the plan any longer. Any backlash that came her way would almost be worth it if she could stare at that smile for the rest of her life.

The moment was fleeting.

RLRLRLRLRL

Rory stood in front of the mirror staring at her reflection, her mind was elsewhere. She was supposed to be deciding which dress to wear tonight to Honor's birthday party; the black floor length number which clung to her curves making her feel self-conscious or the pale blue knee length chiffon dress that always brought out her eyes. Her brain was supposed to be pre-occupied with such thoughts, however, all she could think about was a certain Mr Huntzberger and how close she had come to just throwing caution to the wind and ruining everything. She had tried to remain aloof and unaffected by him, but it was hard. Every time she was around him he seemed to have this ability to dazzle her and make her forget all about the fact that she was supposed to be the one in charge. She was supposed to be playing games and driving him crazy. But it was her who was left speechless and completely incapable of functioning properly whenever he was around.

She was starting to doubt whether she could see this whole thing through to the end. Who was she kidding? She had been having serious doubts since Caitlin first suggested it. She wasn't the manipulating kind. She had never had a cruel bone in her body before she agreed to help her old friend. She still didn't. It was becoming glaringly obvious that she was in way over her head and she felt like she was sinking without a trace.

The plan was to get Logan to fall in love with her and then cruelly break up with him, humiliating him in the process. Considering how 'friendly' Logan was with the opposite sex, she wasn't sure whether their close calls in the hot tub and then her bedroom this morning were due to her feminine wiles working their magic or whether that was just how he operated.

Was he falling in love with her? Or, was she just a challenge to him? Another notch on his bedpost? How could she be sure that the plan was working? How could she know whether he was truly genuine in his affections? Perhaps he was playing her too. If Caitlin was to be believed, then Logan was the devil incarnate. Seducing women everywhere he went just so he could ditch them and humiliate them. Was that really the man she had come to know these past few weeks?

Rory let out a huge sigh; her head was starting to hurt. She slumped down onto the bed and sat with her head in her hands, desperate to shut out all the contradicting emotions whirling inside her. She was pretty sure she was close to having a nervous breakdown.

"Hey, you okay?" a friendly voice interrupted her mental fatigue. Rory looked up and gave Francie a watery smile. In an instant, the redhead was sitting beside her with her arms wrapped around her and a look of concern on her face. "What happened?"

Rory couldn't contain the tears that were threatening to fall and soon she was sobbing loudly against her friend's shoulder, while Francie rocked her back and forth, trying to soothe her.

After a few minutes, Rory finally managed to get a hold of herself, the tears subsided and the stress of everything began to fall away. Francie cradled her in her arms and whispered softly in her ear that everything would be alright. Eventually, Rory started to believe her. She sat up, wiping her hand over her tearstained cheeks. Francie brushed the hair from her face and studied her intently.

"I'm sorry. I don't…"

"You don't have to apologise," she stroked her wet cheek and flung her arm around her shoulders, squeezing her closer.

"I feel like an idiot," Rory hiccupped and Francie laughed.

"Everyone needs a good cry sometimes. It's good for you. It releases the toxins and makes you feel better."

Rory sighed and let her head fall on Francie's shoulder. Francie placed a kiss on her hair and squeezed her shoulder.

"Do you know what helps even more? Talking to your best friend. I'm a good listener, you know."

"I know." She had used Francie's excellent listening skills many a time over the years; however, this was one problem she couldn't fix with some friendly advice over a cup of coffee. It just wasn't that simple and she knew how highly Francie thought of Logan. If she were to find out the truth, she might not be too understanding. Also, there was Finn to consider. Could she really trust that she wouldn't tell her boyfriend about what Rory and Caitlin had planned for his best friend?

"So…? Feel free to let it all out!" Francie encouraged her to spill, but Rory pulled away and sat up on the bed. She sniffed a few more times before she stood up and moved in front of the mirror.

"I have to get ready," she said as she stared at her pale, blotchy reflection. She couldn't bring herself to so much as glance at Francie. If she did she would see the look of disappointment on her face.

"Okay. But if you change you mind…you know where to find me," she said after a few minutes and stood up, making her way to the door. Rory finally looked up to see her retreating figure. She felt sadness overwhelm her. She wanted to reach out to Francie. There was a time when she felt like she could talk to her about anything, just like with her mother. But she didn't want to see the look of disgust on her face as she was sure that's how she would respond.

"Francie?" she called out just as Francie was about to exit the room. Francie spun around with a hopeful expression on her face.

"Yeah?"

"You really have nothing to worry about with Finn. According to Logan, he's nuts about you,"

Francie smiled brightly and then disappeared down the hallway. Rory smiled too for the first time that day. That smile was cut short when her cell phone started ringing. She picked it up off the nightstand and sighed as she read the caller ID. She continued staring at it and waited for it to ring out. She really didn't want to talk to Caitlin right now.

RLRLRLRLRLRL

He was pretty sure he was being avoided. He had looked almost everywhere he could think of but as of yet, Rory Gilmore was nowhere to be seen. The party was in full swing, Honor was in her element as the centre of attention, but Logan felt restless without his favourite Gilmore Girl by his side. He felt like a part of him was missing, corny but true. She had become such a huge part of his life and his feelings towards her had only grown exponentially, that when she wasn't around, he felt it like a sledgehammer to the chest.

He sipped his scotch and let his eyes scan the room one last time, searching for the brunette with the big blue eyes. Again, he was met with disappointment.

He started to worry that maybe something was wrong. Maybe she was sick or maybe she had decided that she didn't want anything to do with him and so went home without so much as a word. He felt his chest tighten as the panic set in and his overworked imagination went into meltdown. She was probably just somewhere stuck talking to some really old, dull person and in desperate need of rescuing.

"Looking for someone?" Logan spun around and almost spilt his drink all over Francie as she stood smiling in front of him.

"Hey, have you seen Rory?" The words were out of his mouth before he could formulate a thought. He had Rory on the brain and after their morning encounter; she was all he could think about.

"She's around here somewhere," she said casually, only serving to annoy Logan with her blasé approach. He was more than eager to see her; he needed definite answers not vague responses.

"Where?" he asked and Francie's smile became a full blown grin. She enjoyed playing with him. He was way too easy.

"I just left her. She's over there by the chocolate fountain. Where else would she be?" she rolled her eyes and pointed out her friend to the desperate blonde.

Logan followed her direction and finally his eyes found what he had been so frantically searching for. He felt his whole body relax and a smile of unadulterated happiness cover his face. His eyes took in her full beauty; she was a vision in her pale blue dress. He viewed her admiringly as the sheer, silky material of her dress shimmered over her perfect curves. She was stunning. His pulse was suddenly racing and his blood immediately flooded to his groin and he started walking towards her automatically, leaving Francie behind to shake her head at how bad he had it.

As soon as Rory saw him coming towards her, her whole body stiffened, as if she was preparing to go into battle. She tried to ignore the little flip of excitement she felt as she took in how handsome he looked in his black suit. No one could wear clothes quite like Logan could. She was pretty sure that he would still look incredible if he was dressed as a homeless person.

As he got closer, she masked her features and turned her attention back to the chocolate heaven that was situated beside her. She felt Logan's presence at her side and she could feel his arm brush against hers as he closed the gap and whispered in her ear.

"Where have you been hiding all night?" Rory's body shuddered uncontrollably as his breath caressed her skin.

"I wasn't hiding," she shrugged, trying to play it cool. It was taking a lot of effort as his mere presence was driving her crazy. "Blame Honor, she would have to have a chocolate fountain at her birthday party. Give me a few more drinks and I'll probably strip off and jump in."

She laughed nervously before realising the implications of what she had just said. Logan's smoky gaze held strong and a smirk crossed his features, "Now that is something I'd like to see."

Rory felt her whole body blush as Logan had a devilish glint in his eyes. He moved closer to her and placed his hand on the small of her back as he leaned in. She was beginning to feel dizzy with his intoxicating presence. She tried to remember to stay strong and to remain focused but with Logan so close and smelling so incredible, she wasn't sure whether she could hold out much longer.

"Hey, Logan!" A seductive voice broke the trance between them and Rory glanced up to see a stunningly attractive brunette smiling admiringly at Logan. She narrowed her eyes and scanned Logan's face to see his reaction to this mystery girl.

"Um, hi." He cleared his throat and moved away from Rory slightly, dropping his hand from her back. She immediately missed the contact and mentally sent a death glare to the girl.

"Nice party," the girl smiled as she twirled her finger in her hair. Rory tried to refrain from rolling her eyes at such obvious attempts at flirting.

"Yeah. My Mom sure knows how to plan a great party," Logan smiled as the girl giggled moronically. Rory glanced from her and then to Logan and enjoyed the fact that he seemed so uncomfortable in both their presence. When his eyes met hers in a hesitant gaze, something suddenly occurred to her; the reason for his unease. He had slept with the girl. She was one of his previous conquests.

"We should catch up." The brunette briefly glanced at Rory with disdain in her eyes. "Maybe later when you're not preoccupied."

As the girl strutted away into the crowd, Rory turned to face Logan with a look of uneasy amusement on her face. Logan took a long sip of his drink and averted his eyes from her curious gaze.

"Old friend of yours?" Rory asked she already knew the answer. Logan's body language was a complete give away. He stared her down eventually and then sighed heavily. Finishing his drink, he grasped her arm lightly and gestured for her to follow him.

"Come with me," he led her out of the main room and onto the patio where they were left alone. Rory immediately shivered as the cold air hit her bare shoulders and Logan had his suit jacket off and wrapped around her in the space of three seconds.

"Her name is Theresa Whitman or Whitfield or something like that," he started to explain. Rory slid her arms through the sleeves of his jacket and tried to ignore the fact that his scent was all around her. "We went out on one date about two years ago…"

"And you had sex with her." It wasn't a question. She knew the answer as soon the girl showed up. She was well aware of Logan's reputation. It was one of the reasons why she was there in the first place.

"Yes." Logan replied through a tightened jaw, "It was one time."

"Why are you telling me this?" Rory wondered. She had no idea why he was suddenly going all confessional on her.

Logan studied her for a moment, his brown eyes searching her face before he spoke. "Because I'm not that guy anymore. I want you to trust me and if that is going to happen I have to be completely open and honest and up front with you about everything."

Rory felt a pang at his admittance but swallowed it down. Now wasn't the time to feel guilty about her lack of morals when it came to being honest and truthful. "About everything?"

"Absolutely." He nodded firmly. Rory bit her lip and narrowed her eyes as her curiosity got the better of her.

"Why did you break up with Caitlin?" she asked the burning question well aware that he most likely wouldn't give her an answer. Knowing that he still held something back from her, that he wasn't willing to be completely truthful with her made her feel better about herself. As much as she wanted to know what exactly had happened there, she felt comfort in that.

Logan breathed a heavy sigh and let his chin rest on his chest, closing his eyes for a moment before meeting her gaze. "Anything but that."

"There you are!" Finn's head appeared from the doorway and they both jumped. "They're just about to bring out the cake!"

He disappeared again leaving both Rory and Logan standing alone in silence. After a few seconds, Rory let out a sigh and slid her arms out of his suit jacket, handing it back to him. Logan studied her for a moment before accepting his jacket. She smiled at him and then brushed passed him while rubbing her cold shoulders, as she went back inside. Neither said a word.

Later as the party continued, Rory sat alone with a huge grin on her face as she watched Finn and Francie dancing together on the dance floor. She had managed to escape his advances and gauging by the horrified look on Francie's face, she had a lucky escape. Finn was throwing all sorts of bizarre shapes on the dance floor; his body was contorting into positions never dared before by any sane or sober person. But since Finn was no longer sober and could never have been classed as sane, he actually looked relatively normal.

Rory couldn't help but laugh as he bumped into fellow dancers, drawing dirty looks from them. He was completely wasted and Rory had never witnessed such a hysterical sight.

Her eyes were soon drawn away from the scene on the dance floor as she latched onto a familiar head of blonde hair on the other side of the hall. Logan was standing talking rather animatedly to a very attractive blonde girl. She watched as they laughed together as if they had known each other their whole lives. Rory tried to ignore the pang of jealousy she felt, but it was hard. She wondered whether the girl was another of Logan's conquests.

"You so don't have anything to worry about there. I can assure you." Rory broke her gaze from Logan to stare into the friendly eyes of his sister. Honor gave her a reassuring smile before sitting down in the seat beside her.

"That's Abigail. She and Logan are-"

"-old friends?" Rory finished her sentence, her voice sounding rather dry as she spoke. It seemed Logan had a lot of 'old friends'.

"Yeah, but in this one instance, that's all they actually are. They never slept together to the best of my knowledge. Logan and Abigail used to run around in diapers together. When they got older, she would never even give him the time of day and Logan was too much of an idiot to notice what a good thing he had in front of him." Honor explained trying to ease some of Rory's concerns.

"They look pretty close," Rory observed from a distance. She watched how they interacted with one another. They had bright smiles spread across their faces and Abigail would occasionally touch his arm. She wasn't sure whether it was purely as platonic as Honor suggested.

"They were. They hadn't seen each other for a while until…"

"Until what?" Rory enquired as Honor trailed off. Honor bit her lip, mentally kicking herself for slipping up. She looked hard at Rory and knew that she was someone who could be trusted to keep a secret even though she was a reporter.

"Abigail's husband might be investing in Logan's solo venture," she admitted. At the mention of the word 'husband' Rory's eyes widened and the weight of jealousy immediately evaporated from her shoulders.

"She's married!?" her tone was surprised and Honor smiled.

"It's interesting that that was what you picked up on." she laughed and placed her hand over Rory's. "Do you know what would be the perfect birthday gift for me?"

Rory shrugged, her gaze was pulled back towards Logan. "To see my baby brother happy and settled with the woman of his dreams."

Rory's head snapped back and she studied Honor curiously. "Oh yeah. And who would that be?"

Honor shook her head and rolled her eyes as she stood up and patted Rory's hand. "I'm looking at her."

Rory was frozen on the spot as Honor gave her one last knowing smile and then disappeared into the crowd of revellers. Her mind was racing as so many different thoughts and emotions sped through her brain all at the same time. She didn't know what to make of Honor's comments. She didn't know what to make of anything anymore. She was so out of it that she didn't even noticed Logan appear at her side moments later with a huge grin on his face. He picked up her hand and pulled her up from the chair.

"Hey, come here. There's someone I want you to meet." Logan dragged Rory across the hall to where Abigail was still standing. Rory was still in a daze but didn't miss the look Abigail gave her. It was a protective glance as if she was giving her the once over, checking to make sure she was good enough for Logan.

"Abigail Rutherford, this is Rory Gilmore. Rory, this is one of my oldest friend's Abigail." Logan made the introductions, his hand still grasping Rory's in a firm grip. He had a proud smile on his face as he pulled Rory close to his side. Abigail smiled at Logan and then nodded at Rory.

"It's nice to meet you, Rory. Logan hasn't been able to shut up about you all night. I was starting to think he just made you up," she said teasingly and Logan glared at her. Rory smiled stiffly. She still wasn't sure what to make of this woman. She was immensely beautiful and well groomed. Her whole presence was slightly intimidating.

"Nope. I'm really real."

"I hope you're not too good to be true," Abigail commented as she sipped on her wine glass. Rory suddenly felt very wary of the girl. By the look she was giving her, she seemed slightly suspicious of her.

"So, where is that husband of yours?" Logan asked completely unaware of the slight trace of tension between the two women.

"You mean you're potential future investor?" Abigail turned her attention back to Logan. Rory was rather grateful for that. She felt very uncomfortable under Abigail's scrutinising glare. "He's around here somewhere."

"I am right here, Darling." A deep voice came from behind them. Rory was still trying to adjust to the unease she felt. She waited for Logan and the new arrival to say their hello's before she bothered to pay attention to him herself. When she finally did get a good look at Abigail's husband, her face paled and her stomach fell. She felt liking throwing up as those familiar dark eyes met hers. Abigail's husband, Logan's potential business investor was none other than Daniel Rutherford; the man she had been having an affair with for the last few months.

**AN: The plot thickens! Tell me what you think and leave a little review. I'll hopefully have another update for this or one of my other stories soon. Thanks for reading. **

**Julie.**


	12. Chapter 11: Epiphany

AN: **First of all, I have to say a major thanks to everyone who read and reviewed the last chapter. I got my highest ever amount of reviews with that one. So thank you. I had no idea it would receive the kind of reaction it did. You blew me away :D Second of all, it's Matt's birthday tomorrow (May 20th**** FYI) and so I'm going to dedicate this chapter to him. Happy Birthday, Matt. I can't wait for his new show to start. Matt's back on our screens soon *yay***

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Gilmore Girls. But Matt Czuchry owns me :D

Just Her Luck

Chapter Eleven: Epiphany

She felt like she was going to suffocate. That might have had something to do with the fact that she had been holding her breath for the last five minutes. Rory listened silently as Logan, Abigail and Daniel made pleasant conversation. Logan and Daniel were discussing the trends in the stock market and Abigail was chastising them for their boring shop talk but Rory wasn't paying attention. Her eyes were locked on Abigail's waist, or more specifically, her husband's hand which was placed firmly on her waist. For some reason she couldn't take her eyes off the sight as he squeezed her and held her close to him. She chanced a glance at Daniel and noticed that his face was blank; he showed no signs of anxiety or awkwardness in her presence. He was smiling quite relaxed as he joked with Logan and his wife.

His _wife_!

Rory's gaze moved to Abigail. She watched as her eyes were bright as she engaged in playful banter with her old friend. Her body was turned towards Daniel and her fingers were playing with the end of his tie. She looked like a woman very much in love with her husband and Rory felt it like a freight train hitting her.

Daniel was married. She had known it for a while but to actually see them together…they looked like a married couple. She was real and not just some woman, some stranger. She was standing right in front of her, breathing and smiling and being happy in her husband's arms.

Rory felt sick. It was one thing to know Daniel was married. She had managed to block it out and live in denial for the last few months, happy in her own little bubble. But meeting Abigail face to face made her acknowledge all of those insecurities and doubts that had been festering, eating away at her.

What was she doing? How could be so selfish?

The touch of Logan's soft hand on her back brought her back to the present. She glanced up at him and he smiled that warm, familiar smile that made her heart skip a beat. Even in the presence of Daniel, he still affected her. In fact, she would go so far as to say he had a somewhat calming affect on her. And considering the situation she found herself in, that was rather miraculous.

Logan snaked his arm around her waist and gave her a wink as he continued his conversation with the other couple. A small smile unconsciously covered her features and then she lifted her eyes to meet Daniel's. He was staring at her with a frown on his face. She noticed his jaw clench as Logan pulled her closer and his eyes darkened with intensity as she unconsciously leaned into him.

"So where are little Charlie and Freddie tonight?" Logan asked in a happy tone, oblivious to the brewing tension emanating from Rory. He gazed down at Rory and then back at Abigail.

"They're running around here somewhere," Abigail admitted with a concerned frown on her face as her eyes scanned the room for any sign of her two young children. "The Nanny phoned in sick so we had to bring the little terrors with us. Honor said it would be okay."

Rory's whole body froze at the mention of the children. Her eyes flickered to Daniel briefly before she felt her stomach drop and her heart begin to thump in her chest. The room was suddenly too warm and stuffy. She couldn't breathe again.

"Oh, there they are over there!" Abigail pointed over to the dance floor where two mini-Daniels were jumping up and down next to Finn, who was entertaining them with his silly dance moves.

Rory, Logan and Daniel followed her gaze as Finn came under attack by the twins.

Logan chuckled as he watched Finn try to free himself from their grubby hands. "They've gotten a lot bigger since the last time I saw them."

"Well they are seven years old now, Logan. That does tend to happen." Abigail said sarcastically. Rory slowly turned so she was facing the rest of the group. She lifted her gaze to see Daniel glowering at her. She stared at him for a second, her blue eyes conveying the guilt and disgust she felt with herself for coming between him and his family. In that moment she hated herself and him for jeopardising those young children's happiness. She knew what it was like to grow up without a strong fatherly presence around and she didn't want to be the reason why those two children didn't have their father around all the time. She couldn't live with herself.

"They're beautiful," Rory spoke softly and Abigail beamed with motherly pride. Logan squeezed her tighter and then frowned as he gazed down at her.

"Are you okay? You look a little pale?" his concerned eyes held her prisoner. Rory felt a lump form in her throat and she knew that she was about five seconds away from bursting into tears. She had to get away. She had to get away from Logan and his loving smile. She had to get away from Abigail and her perfect children and most of all; she had to get away from Daniel.

"Um, yeah I don't feel too great." Logan narrowed his eyes as he took in her rather sallow complexion. He raised his hand and placed his palm on her forehead. "I just need some fresh air. I'll be okay."

"Are you sure?" he dropped his hand from her forehead but cupped her cheek as his concern grew. "I can come with you if you want?"

Rory shook her head and smiled. "I'll be fine. You stay, I'll find you later." She moved towards him, avoiding Daniel's gaze and placed a sweet kiss on Logan's cheek. "It was nice to meet you both."

"Yeah, you too." Abigail nodded. Daniel remained silent. As Rory turned away she caught sight of Francie who had a look of understanding and horror for her friend as she watched the scene from afar.

RLRLRLRLRL

Her whole body shivered as the cool air hit her bare shoulders. She had been in such a rush to get out of the room that she hadn't bothered to bring her wrap with her. She couldn't go back inside though. She couldn't bring herself to step foot inside. She would rather freeze to death outside under the cold night sky than come face to face with her mess of a life.

She shivered again and rubbed her arms with her hands, trying to get some heat running through her body with the friction. Her teeth chattered and she felt numb all over. Part of her though, wasn't sure that the numbness came entirely from the cold weather.

She closed her eyes and quietly chuckled to herself as she realised how much she had been living in denial. Her relationship with Daniel had been built on loneliness and desperation to have something in her life to fill the hole in her heart. She was well aware that he didn't belong to her. She knew he had a wife and a family but in her desperation she had deluded herself into pretending that they didn't exist. She hid the guilt and shame away buried deep somewhere and continued falling for a married man.

But was she falling? Did she really love him as much as she had convinced herself she had? Or did she just love the idea of him?

Seeing him with his hand wrapped around his wife's waist while smiling at her made her stomach sick. She felt disgusted and full of regret that she had gotten herself involved in someone else's marriage. Not that this was the first time something like this had happened. She started considering if maybe that's just what she was; a marriage wrecker, a serial cheater. The major differences this time was that children were involved, and that there was someone else in the picture. She had Logan, who apparently liked her but she didn't really have Logan. She was playing games with him, lying to him, leading him on with cruel intentions. What had she become? She didn't know who she was anymore. She was fairly certain that if she were to look at herself in the mirror, she wouldn't recognise the girl staring back at her.

"You're missing the party," a deep voice called out from behind her, yanking her from her thoughts. She didn't bother turning to see who it was. She already knew. His voice sent a shudder down her spine.

"Shouldn't you be with your wife?" she sighed and then folded her arms across her chest.

"Rory-"

"Don't," she cut him off and spun to face his tall, intimidating presence. His expression didn't flicker; he remained impassive and unemotional under the cover of darkness. His blue eyes were darker than she'd ever seen them. As he took a step into the light, she saw anger and perhaps a hint of jealousy shining back at her but he was trying to hide it.

A moment passed before either spoke again. "I didn't know you were going to be here."

"I guess it's a small world," she felt like laughing at just how true that statement was. The irony of the situation was not lost on her. Only in her messed up life could she be having an affair with someone who just happens to be married to someone else who is an old friend of the person she is supposed to be seducing as part of a ridiculous plot for revenge. Her life was not like other peoples lives.

"I guess so." Daniel nodded and then glanced over his shoulder before taking another step towards her. His eyes were glistening with anger. Rory was beginning to feel annoyed. What exactly did he have to be angry about? The only people with justifiable cause to be pissed off was Abigail and Logan, who were both inside completely clueless to their significant others duplicity.

"So, are you sleeping with him? Is that why you couldn't meet me?" Rory couldn't believe the words as he spoke them. His calm exterior had faded to be replaced with simmering rage as he basically accused her of cheating on him. She would've laughed if the situation wasn't so screwed up.

"What?"

"You and Huntzberger. He had his hands all over you. You do know he's a player right? His reputation is legendary. You're just a trophy on his arm," he bit out harshly. Rory was stunned into silence.

"I'm sorry. I just met your wife for the first time and you want to talk about whether or not I'm sleeping with Logan Huntzberger?!"

"Well are you?" he shrugged, his eyes intent on her, eager to know the truth. Rory shook her head in disbelief.

"No. I'm not sleeping with him. Not that it's any of your business," she said in a firm tone, holding his gaze. Daniel's eyes narrowed and he took another step towards her.

"It is one hundred percent my business," he replied as he glowered down at her.

"Why?" she asked. "You're a married man. Your wife is right inside that room. Why should you care who I have sex with? I'm just the bit on the side. I don't mean anything to you. Why do you care?" her voice rose along with her anger. She was angry at herself as well as him.

"Because I love you!" Daniel shouted back at her, catching them both off guard. Rory gaped at him for a long moment before she started laughing uncontrollably.

"What the hell is so funny?" Daniel growled, he had grabbed her arm and pulled her close to him. Rory just continued laughing.

"I'm sorry," she apologised while trying to calm herself down. "For the longest time, I thought that hearing those three words coming out of your mouth would've meant everything to me. That somehow I could justify what we were doing if I knew that we both loved each other. But…"

"But what?" his impatience with her was growing.

"But…you don't love me," she admitted for the first time as her epiphany grew clearer. "You love the idea of me. Of us. But the reality…is that you're married. You have a beautiful wife who is clearly in love with you. And two gorgeous children who need their father."

"Rory-"

"You don't need me. You need to be with your family," she told him and tugged her arm from his grip.

"Rory…"

"They need you, Daniel."

"This is all because of him isn't it? You never had a problem with me being married before. You knew all about that and you never cared…"

"I cared. I just deluded myself into thinking that it didn't matter.

"Rory-"

"I don't love you, Daniel," she cut him off again. Her voice was steady and determined as she spoke. For the first time in a long time she could see things for what they were. She wasn't fooling herself any more into thinking that this man was what she wanted. She had a sense of overwhelming clarity for which she was grateful. "I never did. Not really."

Daniel let her words sink in and his eyes narrowed. "Do you love him?"

Rory shook her head. "What does it matter?"

"It matters to me," he said firmly, glaring down at her intently. Rory sighed and looked away from his heated gaze.

"I'll take that as a yes." Rory didn't know how she felt about Logan right now but if thinking that was what allowed Daniel to move on and let her go, she would let him think what he wanted.

"Is everything okay out here?" Francie's curious voice drifted between them and Rory felt herself shiver once again as Daniel stared down at her, hatred clear in his eyes. After a few seconds, he straightened up and turned away from Rory to see Francie standing in the doorway with a glass in her hand. Rory was relived to see her friend.

"Logan sent me to look for you. He was worried," she spoke trying to break the tension in the air. Daniel sneered and threw one last glance in Rory's direction before trudging away, heading back inside. Francie kept her gaze on Rory as she watched him leave. It was over. The relief flooded through her whole body and she suddenly felt warmer despite the cold temperatures.

"Are you okay?" Francie moved towards her with hesitancy in her eyes. "Do you want me to kick his ass because-?"

Rory grabbed the glass from Francie's grip and downed the contents in one gulp. She breathed a heavy sigh of relief and then smiled at her dear friend. "Let's go back inside. It's freezing out here!"

She brushed passed her, heading for the house. Francie just stared at her in surprise and then shook her head and followed. "Wait up, Gilmore! You owe me another drink!"

RLRLRLRLRLRLRL

As soon as she got back inside, she collided with the person standing in front of her. It wasn't until she looked up that she realised who it was. As she gazed up into a pair of warm brown eyes she couldn't stop the smile from creeping over her face. Logan's hands were on her hips as he peered down at her lovingly.

"Hey, I was just coming to find you. Are you okay?" His concern was genuine. She could tell by the slight crease on his forehead and the way his fingers dug into her waist.

"I'm fine. I feel much better. In fact, I was just on my way to find you," she said in a light tone. She felt free of the load that had been bearing down on her for so long. Well, at least some of the load was gone.

"Oh really?" His eyebrows rose as a slight smirk lingered on his lips. Rory placed her hands on his chest and grinned up at him.

"Yup," she giggled and leaned closer so she could breathe in his scent. He was intoxicating. She noticed Francie passing by them with a wicked, knowing smile on her face. She didn't say a word. "Why don't we get out of here? I know its Honor's birthday, but she won't mind will she?"

"Last time I saw her she was declaring her undying love to the chocolate fountain. She won't mind," he remarked as he snaked his arms around her, loving the feeling of having her in his arms. Rory had to admit, it felt good to her too.

"Well then follow me," she slipped out of his hold and grabbed his hand, leading him away from the crowd. She commandeered a bottle of Champagne off the tray of a passing waiter as Logan looked on with overwhelming lust in his gaze.

"Where are we going?" he inquired but Rory didn't answer. She just sent him a flirtatious glance over her shoulder and carried on. "You know, I'd definitely be in favour of hitting the hot tub again!"

Rory giggled at his suggestion and then felt her whole body grow warmer as she remembered the events of the night before. Their last visit to the hot tub had gotten rather heated, for lack of a better word and as much as she enjoyed being so close to him, she wasn't quite ready to throw complete caution to the wind. She just wanted to get away from everyone and be alone with him. She needed to escape and Logan could be good company for a girl who needed to de-stress.

"I'm sure you would," she turned to smile at him knowingly and Logan raised an eyebrow in acknowledgement of the previous evening. "But I was thinking we could go to your room instead."

Surprise spread across his face briefly before he quickly composed himself and then grinned at her like a little boy on Christmas.

"That's fine by me," he shrugged and then she tugged on his arm as they approached the extravagantly decorated staircase. He more than willingly followed her the rest of the way to his room and as soon as the door closed behind them, he was on her. His lips were on her neck and his hands were roaming all over her body in a desperate attempt to continue where they had left off this morning. Rory giggled bashfully and then managed to push away from his wandering hands and took a swig of Champagne. Logan eyed her as if she were the most desirable thing he'd ever seen. Rory shuddered as she imagined letting him have free reign over her body. It was getting so much harder to maintain some semblance of restraint around him. She was worried she might just lose herself completely. The thing she was worried about was the fact that she was pretty certain she would enjoy losing herself with Logan. Before Daniel, before Caitlin had any plans for revenge, she had dreamt about being so close to Logan. He'd had a starring role in her fantasies as soon as she had first laid eyes on him those few years ago. And now here they were. Alone. Together, but with a cloud hanging over them.

She took another swig of Champagne; she wanted to forget about that cloud right now.

Rory lifted her gaze to meet Logan's and felt a little thrill as his hungry eyes held her captive. She smiled nervously and then sat the bottle of Champagne down on the table beside the door. She took a step toward him and tried to ignore the butterflies fluttering incessantly in her stomach. As she approached him, she felt the lust take over and all she wanted was to be encased in Logan's arms and have him devouring her with his kisses. She'd never wanted anything so badly in her life. Daniel had asked if she was in love with Logan. She didn't know about love but she was definitely in lust with him and felt her whole body quivering with anticipation.

As she drew closer, she could feel his warm breath on her face. She closed her eyes and as if by magic, he was in her arms and his mouth was clinging to hers frantically trying to suck the life out of her with his kisses. Rory wrapped her arms around his neck and moaned as his hands found her exposed back. She had him pressed up against the wall as her hands moved from his neck down over his chest to his waist, where she un-tucked the ends of his shirt and slid her hands underneath. Logan growled as her fingertips skimmed over his back, making him want her even more.

"Rory," he breathed huskily as they parted for air. She pressed her forehead against his and bit her lip as they both panted for air. "You are the sexiest thing I have ever seen."

She placed a soft kiss on his lips and then pulled back again. She could feel his hands burning through the fabric of her dress and for a second she wanted him to just rip it off and have at it. In fact…she sought his lips out for a fiery, passionate kiss. She put everything into it as she pressed herself against him. She moaned as his tongue massaged her own and when she felt him respond to her physically, she decided to throw caution to the wind. She wanted him. She had waited long enough. She wanted to forget about Caitlin's plan. She wasn't entirely sure whether she would approve of her actions at this moment, but she didn't care. Logan had made it perfectly clear how much he wanted her. Who was she to deny him any longer? She would give herself to him, to hell with the consequences.

As soon as her hands moved to unbuckle his belt, Logan was shocked. She was always the one pulling back, shutting him down. Now here they were pressed up against his bedroom wall and she was very impatiently trying to rid him of his pants. Any normal guy would thank god and take advantage of her sudden desire for him, but something wasn't sitting right with him. He wanted her but she had been acting strangely earlier and he wanted to make sure that she wasn't just doing this because she felt threatened or jealous about him and Abigail. Honor had mentioned something to him earlier while he was searching for Rory and he didn't want Rory to feel that he was just after the one thing. He wanted everything with Rory. Of that, he was certain but he wanted her to be on the same page and not to feel pressured or insecure. He wanted her to feel one hundred percent comfortable with him and if that meant foregoing a night of mindless, steamy, passionate sex then he would do it.

The sound of his zipper unfastening snapped him back to the moment and his mind flooded with hot images of them up against the wall, frantic and desperate for each other. However, another image sneaked through at the same time. An image of Rory's beautiful face with tears falling from her eyes as she gave him a pained look.

"Rory…" He moved his hands down to cover her busy fingers as they tried to free him of his pants. She looked up at him with a glazed look of confusion.

"What's wrong?" she asked breathlessly. She tried to kiss him again but he moved his face so her lips connected with his cheek.

"Blue," he said out of nowhere. Rory frowned as she gazed up at him. She had absolutely no idea what he meant.

"What?" she panted, her fingers still tucked into the waistband of his pants.

"My favourite colour. It's blue. Just like your eyes," he said simply. Rory dropped her hands from him and took a step back, her eyes wide with confusion.

"What are you talking about?" She had absolutely no idea why he was telling her what his favourite colour was when they were in the middle of things.

"What's your favourite colour?" he ignored her question and carried on with his new change of subject.

"My favourite…Logan are you feeling okay?" she looked at him curiously and he gave her his trademark smirk.

"I'm fine. It just occurred to me that we don't know a whole lot about each other. I mean, I know how you take your coffee and that you chew on the end of a pen when your working on an article." He slid out from between her and the wall and walked over to his bed. He thought about sitting down but then considered where that could lead. So he walked over to the dresser and leaned against it while Rory watched him with an incredulous look on her face.

"I don't…"

"I want to know all about you. I want to know everything," he said seriously. Or as seriously as he could considering the fact that he was standing there with lipstick smeared on his face, his shirt ends un-tucked, and a raging hard on that was pissed off at him for cock-blocking it.

"Why?" She didn't understand his sudden need to communicate. It wasn't his modus operandi. He didn't usually want to get to know girls. Even the ones he was going to marry. Caitlin had told her that he wasn't one for over-sharing. So, why now?

He watched her for a brief second before answering. He took a deep breath and then let his heart do the talking. "Because I'm falling in love with you."

**AN:** You have no idea how happy I am to finally be at this point in this story. It's been plaguing my mind for so long and to finally have this chapter typed out is a big relief. Now what's going to happen next? I better go and write it :D Thanks for reading. Please leave a review. Love you all,

Julie.


	13. Chapter 12: Into Dust

**AN: I'm not going to apologise for the long wait because for some of my other stories its been even longer. So, all I'm going to say is that I'm working on being a better updater. Real life and writer's block have been really kicking my butt lately. But I'm back and I'm going to try and get updates to you more regularly. If you can't remember what happened in the last chapter well here's a little reminder. Rory broke it off with Daniel and then Logan gave her the biggest surprise by telling her that he was falling in love with her. Aww! What will her response be? **

**Disclaimer: I don't own the show. **

Just Her Luck

Chapter Twelve: Into Dust

"_Because I'm falling in love with you!"_

Rory stared at Logan in stunned silence as his words sank in. Her brain couldn't process this brand new information. Her heart went into meltdown. Her body felt numb.

"What?" she managed to speak in a whisper. Her voice was strained and full of shock and trepidation. She was sure she must have been hearing things.

Logan took a deep breath, kept his eyes firmly fixed on Rory's and spoke with more confidence than he'd ever had about anything, "I'm falling in love with you."

The true magnitude of what he had just admitted was settling on his shoulders and the thing that shocked him most was that he didn't regret saying what he'd said. It was the truth. He knew it in his heart and he wasn't afraid of it anymore. He loved Rory Gilmore. He loved her.

"No you don't," she blurted out as she got to grips with the enormity of his admission. Part of her felt light and exhilarated by the words that had come from his mouth. But the other part was quickly filling with dread and horror as the implications of such an admission began to weigh heavy on her. He couldn't love her. There was no way, because if he did truly love her then it meant that the time was right for her to carry out the last part of Caitlin's cruel plan.

Logan's eye's widened in confusion at her response. His brow furrowed, he took a step closer. "I don't?"

Rory dropped her gaze to the ground and she shook her head vehemently, "No."

"What are you psychic now? You can read my mind?"

"Logan…"

"Rory, I love you." He said again, emphasising the words. He put as much emotion and power behind them as he could muster, but Rory didn't flinch.

"You don't love me, Logan. You just admitted it yourself. You don't know me. How can you love someone you don't know?" she said trying to reason with him through logic. Logan just shook his head in annoyance.

"I know how I feel, Rory." He moved towards her again. "I know that when I'm around you, I feel happy. I know that I have never wanted to be with anyone as much as I want to be with you-"

"You don't love me," she cut him off shaking her head, feeling a huge lump forming in her throat. Logan studied her closely noticing the tears in her eyes. He raised his hand to brush them away but she moved away from his reach before he could touch her. She knew that if she let him touch her, she would fall apart.

"You don't even know what that means. You've never been in love before. _You_ don't fall in love with people, Logan."

"Well, I have now." Logan's face was fixed in grim determination as he tried to convince Rory of his feelings.

"No, you haven't"

"Will you stop saying that?" he said with increasing frustration evident on both his face and in his tone. "I love you. So…get used to it."

"I have to get out of here," Rory closed her eyes and ran her hands through her hair as she turned to head for the door. However, Logan wasn't about to let her just runaway from him like that. He strode towards her, grabbed her arm and crashed his lips to hers in a hard, frantic kiss. If she wouldn't believe him when he told her how he felt about her with words, then he would show her by pouring all of his feelings and emotions into this kiss.

Rory fought him for a few seconds before slowly giving into him. She wound her arms around his neck and pressed her body into his. Logan snaked his arms around her waist, holding her against him with the fierce determination that he would never let her go. For the first time in his life, he felt something real. From the first time he'd laid eyes on Rory all those months ago, he'd known deep in his heart that she was the one he was supposed to be with. Not Caitlin, not anyone else. And as much as he'd tried to deny it at first - he'd actually proposed to Caitlin to prove to himself that Rory meant nothing to him - he couldn't hide it anymore.

They broke apart and Logan felt his heart sink as he noticed the tears falling down her cheeks. He rest his forehead against hers and cradled her face in his hands, wiping the pads of his thumbs over her tear stained cheeks. "Rory…"

"You don't love me, Logan. Please take it back," she cried and Logan's heart broke. He'd always thought that when he told a girl that he loved her that it would be accepted with tears of joy not despair. He never wanted to cause Rory any pain, but he couldn't lie to her.

"I can't take it back. It's how I feel," he whispered softly, his voice breaking. His words just seemed to make her cry harder. He hated seeing her so upset. It crushed him to see how miserable she was. He didn't understand it. Was he such a horrible person? Was it such a terrible thing to have him be in love with her? He was truly beyond confused at this point.

"Rory…" He tried to get through to her, but her tears never faded. She clung to him as loud sobs wracked her body. Logan wrapped his arms around her and held her firmly against him, whispering softly in her ear.

RLRLRLRLRLRL

The room was bathed in darkness as Logan lay beside her in bed. He listened to her even breathing as he watched her sleep. She truly was a sight to behold, even with puffy eyes and messy bed hair. He couldn't help how much he felt for her. It killed him to see how much pain those feelings caused her but he couldn't stop being in love with her. If he could he would, but it just wasn't going to happen. She had worked her way into his heart and soul and he loved everything about her. He loved her for the person she was and he loved her for the person she was working so hard to be. But her reaction stumped him. The agony he had seen in her eyes as he expressed how he truly felt for her had torn him apart, but he didn't understand why loving her was such a bad thing. Unless she didn't feel the same way. Unless there really was someone else in the picture. Unless, her bond and loyalty to Caitlin was stronger than even he was aware of.

He breathed a heavy sigh and rolled onto his back, Rory moving with him. Even in sleep, she still clung to him. Like she was terrified he would leave her. But then that confused him even more. If she didn't want him, then why fight so hard to have him stay with her? When he had held her as she cried her eyes out, he had suggested that he take her back to her room. That had only seemed to upset her even more and she begged him to let her stay with him. And so he had. He had cradled her in his arms, whispering sweet nothings as she cried herself to sleep.

He lay in bed staring up at the ceiling, his mind whirling with so many thoughts. He didn't know what was going on anymore. He was restless and full of unanswered questions. He should have felt euphoric. Tonight had been a monumental point in the life of Logan Huntzberger. He had told someone that he loved them and meant every word. However, the occasion would always be overshadowed by the unexpected response. He'd thought they were on the same page or if not the exact same page, at least pretty close. How had he gotten it so wrong? Had he gotten it wrong? He just didn't know.

The silence was disrupted by the sound of a cell phone ringing. Logan glanced at the clock. It was 3.15am. Who could possibly be calling at this time? Annoyed at being pulled from his thoughts and worried that the noise would wake up Rory, he searched for the culprit. It wasn't his cell phone ringing. It still lay silent on the nightstand. He pulled himself up slightly, trying not to disturb Rory, who was still fast asleep. He saw her purse lying on the floor beside the bed and realised that the noise was coming from there. Reaching down, he grasped the strap of her bag, opened it and fished out her cell phone. He flipped it open without checking to see who was calling. A mixture of exhaustion and annoyance clouded his greeting.

"Hello," he answered rather briskly. There was no reply. After a few seconds, the line went dead and Logan's irritation only grew. He pulled the phone from his ear and glanced at the name on the caller ID.

_Daniel_

For a moment he wondered who the hell Daniel could be. Was he the reason why Rory was so upset? Was he the other guy? He looked back at the phone and as his eyes ran over the number on screen, realisation dawned. He recognised that number. Then it clicked.

Daniel was Daniel Rutherford. It was his number.

_Why the hell does Rory have Daniel Rutherford's phone number programmed into her cell phone? And why is he calling her at 3.15 in the morning? _

"Logan…" Rory's murmurs drew his attention back from the boiling rage that was currently making its way through his body. Suddenly, it all fell into place and his world crumbled into dust.

RLRLRLRLRLRL

Rory woke to the sound of laughter coming from outside her bedroom window. Still in her sleepy state, she tried to block out the sound and rolled over intent on just curling up beside Logan and falling back to sleep for a little while longer. Last night's events were still fresh in her mind but she wanted to just forget about it all for a little while longer and just be with him. She reached her arm over to rest on his chest and found the bed empty beside her. Her eyes opened in confusion and she saw that Logan was nowhere to be found. He wasn't even in the room. For a moment she thought that perhaps he had returned her to her own room while she was asleep. But she was definitely still in his room.

"Logan!" she called out, her voice sounding a little croaky with sleep and the strain of all that crying the night before. The room's silent reply sent a cold shock over her and she wondered if maybe her response to his confession last night had really pushed him away. She regretted the tears; she knew that it had been unfair of her to react like that. Logan definitely didn't deserve that kind of response no matter what he had done. She knew that she had hurt him, but with everything that had been going on in her mind over the past few months with Caitlin, the plan, her own increasing feelings for Logan and then dealing with Daniel, it all just seemed to come to a head as soon as he had spoken those sweet words. It all crashed down on her and she couldn't cope. She couldn't deal with any of it and so she'd broken down.

Throughout this whole ridiculous charade, Rory had been dealing with her conflicting feelings for Logan and for the plan to get back at him. Her underlying feelings towards Logan had been bubbling away under the surface while clashing over his treatment of Caitlin. She had seen two sides to Logan. The sweet, intelligent, sexy, charismatic, incredible guy who made her feel something that she had never felt before was up against the harsh, cold, manipulative womaniser that she had come to despise. And the more time she spent with him, she found herself forgetting about the bad side and wanting to be consumed by this glorious creature. When he had told her that he was falling in love with her; the good, kind, sweet Logan, she had remembered what she had done to him. The lies and deceit. She remembered what she would have to do to him if she were to go through with Caitlin's plan and it killed her. That's why she had begged him to take it back. She secretly wanted to tell him to get as far away from her as possible for his own good. She didn't want to hurt him and she couldn't see any other outcome now.

Feeling another tear escape, she wiped it away and slowly climbed out from under the sheets which still smelled like Logan. She found her purse lying on the floor beside her shoes. She searched through it checking to make sure its contents were intact and then grabbed her shoes and she made her way to the door. She needed to get back to her own room, have a shower and change into something more comfortable.

After her shower, she felt slightly more human. She had composed herself and no more tears had been forthcoming which she was grateful for. She dried her hair off and dressed in a pair of white capri pants and a baby blue shirt before heading downstairs to where all the laughter was coming from. As she stepped outside onto the patio she was greeted with squeals of laughter as Finn threw Francie into the pool. She watched as the two of them wrestled one another in the water, splashing each other and just enjoying one another without a doubt in their minds. Rory smiled to herself as it seemed that Francie had gotten over her fears regarding Finn getting bored of her anytime soon.

As they started necking in the pool, Rory heard Colin call out to them, "Hey, get a room you two!"

Rory's eyes instinctively searched for the owner of the voice and found him sitting on a sunlounger glaring at the happy twosome as they splashed him petulantly. Beside him on another sunlounger was Honor, who was happily allowing her husband to apply copious amounts of suntan lotion to her body while sipping on some kind of smoothie. Her younger brother was lying on the sunlounger to her right. He was wearing a pair of swimming trunks and a pair of sunglasses so she couldn't see his eyes. "Hey Rory!" Honor noticed her and waved her over, "Glad to see you finally decided to join the land of the living. Pull up a pew."

Rory tore her eyes away from admiring Logan's shirtless torso. She couldn't help herself from checking out his perfectly sculpted chest and abs. She was drawn to his tanned body and rippling muscles. He truly was a beautiful sight. And amongst all of the guilt, she felt a bolt of lust shoot through her system.

Hesitantly she made her way over to where the group was sitting, waving to Francie and Finn as she passed them. Colin and Josh both acknowledged her presence, but Logan's expression remained hidden behind his dark sunglasses. She felt nervous as she manoeuvred her way around him and sat on one of the deck chairs.

"So did you have a fun time last night? You and Logan disappeared kind of early. He won't tell me anything but…"

"Honor," Logan spoke in a warning tone, surprising Rory with how hard his voice sounded. She gazed over at him, but he just sipped on his drink and ignored her.

"I had a great time, Honor. It was a great party. I just felt a little tired. I'm sorry I bailed early."

"Well, you didn't miss much. So don't worry." She smiled at Josh as he finished massaging the lotion into her skin. "Thank you my dear husband," Josh leaned over and kissed her nose sweetly.

"You're welcome,"

"Oh I think I'm going to throw up. What with the hangover and all the lovey doveyness. You guys are killing me!" Colin complained as he laid a cold compress over his forehead, clearly struggling with the after affects of the night before.

"If you two start too, I'm going to barf right here," he told Rory and Logan in a weakened voice.

"There's no chance of that happening, Col. So don't worry about it." Logan's voice sounded just as harsh as the last time and Rory felt her heart sink. He was pissed off. He had every right to be. She just hated the fact that she was the cause of his bad mood.

"Thank god!"

Rory watched Logan from the side as he finished his drink and then got up from the lounger and made his way inside. Her gaze followed him as he disappeared from her sight and she sighed heavily.

"He's been Mr Cranky-Pants all morning. Did something happen between you two?" Honor asked as she slurped on her smoothie. Francie joined them, wrapping a towel around her and sitting on Logan's now empty lounger. She offered her a tentative smile, silently asking if she was alright after everything that had happened the previous night.

"Um…"

"You didn't…you know? I mean you spent the night in his room with him," Francie asked with great curiosity. Honor's eyes were fixed on Rory as they both awaited her answer.

It took her a few moments to realise what they were asking of her. Her mind was still busy trying to think of a way to apologise to Logan.

"What? No. Nothing happened. We just talked and fell asleep," she lied. She could tell that neither girl was convinced but they let it go. Honor eyed her sceptically but Francie decided to change the subject.

"Well Finn and I did a little more than just talking and there was definitely no sleeping going on in our room last night," she said proudly with a broad grin on her face. Colin groaned as he was still within earshot of their conversation and he really didn't want to hear the details of Finn's sexual prowess. Neither did Rory, she decided and so as Francie began her story, Rory excused herself and went to find Logan.

She didn't have to look far. He was standing in the kitchen, pouring himself another drink, his sunglasses were perched on top of his head and he had a scowl on his face and dark circles under his eyes. Rory entered the room hesitantly, taking a deep breath before opening her mouth to speak. Nothing came out at first. She cleared her throat and tried again.

"Hi," she said softly. Her voice was barely audible but Logan heard her. He turned to face her and her stomach plunged as she saw the hurt and anger flash across his face.

He glanced at her and then lowered his head back down. Not speaking a word. She sighed and then took another step into the room, her eyes still locked on him. She noticed his shoulders tense and the ripple it caused on his muscular back. She noticed his jaw clench and his hands as they gripped the edge of the counter top. He was really mad.

"Logan…I'm really sorry about last night. About how I reacted," she said wanting to get everything out in the open. "I just, I didn't know what to think and I panicked and I'm sorry. I never should have-"

"Forget about it," he cut her off. His voice sounding harsh and unrelenting.

"You just kind of caught me off guard and…"

"I said forget about it, Rory."

"Logan," she tried again, edging her hand up to touch his arm. Logan pulled away from her, gave her the dirtiest look imaginable and headed towards the door. He stopped and turned back to face her.

"You were right."

Rory considered his words with confusion, not sure what he was talking about.

"Right about what?"

"About me. About all of it," he shrugged. "You were right. I barely know you. How could I possibly be in love with you?"

Rory felt her heart breaking and her stomach sank. "I don't know you at all," And then he left. He walked away with his drink in his hand and ice in his tone. Rory had never felt more alone in her life. And it was nobody's fault but her own.

**AN: Uh oh! Logan knows about Daniel! But Rory doesn't know that he knows. How will those crazy kids sort this one out? I am determined to have another update of this story at some point this week. So keep your eyes peeled :D And in the meantime, drop me a line. I really want to know what you're all thinking. And I hope you're all having a nice summer. J**

**PS: The title of this chapter is taken from a Mazzy Star song by the same name. It was a big inspiration to get me writing again so check it out. It's a beautiful song. **


	14. Chapter 13: The Martyr In Me

**AN: **_I haven't really been in the writing mood lately hence the lack of updates. I can only apologise. But I won't go on and on, because I'm sure you just want to read the update. If you still care that is. _

_Previously on JHL…Logan told Rory that he was falling in love with her to which Rory broke down and basically begged him to take it back. Then Daniel phoned when Rory was asleep and Logan figured out that something was going on between them. When Rory tried to apologise to Logan for her reaction to his declaration, he took it back, telling her that they obviously don't know each other as well as he thought they did. That's where we left off. _

**Disclaimer:**_ I don't own Gilmore Girls or any of its characters. I just like messing with them. Ha!_

Just Her Luck

Chapter Twelve: The Martyr In Me

Twenty-seven minutes and forty…two seconds; that is approximately how much time had passed since Logan had uttered his last word to Rory. And even then, that had been barely audible above the grunt he gave. He couldn't even look over in her direction without scowling as he sat across from her at the table. She had a fairly good idea as to what she had done to piss him off so badly, and she deeply wished that she could fix it. Her teary-eyed rejection to his declaration of love had bruised his ego somewhat and perhaps even hurt his feelings. As much as she had been privy to the softer side of Logan Huntzberger these last few weeks, she knew that he couldn't stand to lose face. So he was being cold and brisk with her to prove that she had no effect on him whatsoever. His walls had gone back up and she was back on the outside. That was probably the best place to be. It meant that no one got hurt and she didn't have to go through with Caitlin's plan. She couldn't get revenge if he didn't care about her.

Her eyes flittered over in Logan's direction, watching as he indulged in conversation with his brother-in-law, Josh. She noticed the rigidity in his body language. His whole frame was tense. His hands were clenched into fists as he leaned over the table. His whole body was turned towards Josh and turned away from her. He was making sure that he gave her absolutely no inclination that he wanted to talk to her. She sighed and rested her chin on her hand, drawing her gaze away from Logan.

"Don't let him get to you, Rory." Francie leaned towards her and whispered in her ear. Rory turned slightly and was greeted with a warm smile from her friend. "Whatever is going on with you two, he'll get over it."

Rory took a deep breath and smiled gratefully at the redhead. She didn't feel any better but it was comforting to know that she had someone on her side. Although, she was pretty sure that if she ever found out the truth, she wouldn't be so quick to be her friend.

She nodded and Francie touched her arm reassuringly.

"Okay, I want to make a toast!" Honor spoke from the other end of the table. She pushed out her chair and stood up, holding her glass of Champagne out in front of her. Everyone's attentions turned to her and she began.

"I just wanted to thank everyone for coming this weekend. I know you're not technically _my_ friends, although I count you as such now, but I'm so happy that my little brother has such great people in his life," she threw a smile in Rory's direction. "I don't have to worry about him in that big city as much if I know he has all you guys looking out for him."

Finn snickered and Colin raised his glass and nodded. Logan shook his head and smirked for the first time all evening. Rory drew her attention from Honor and watched him closely as his sister continued.

"We weren't exactly raised by the Brady's and I've always kind of believed that you make your own family."

"How much has she had to drink?" Logan asked aside to Josh. He was beginning to look uncomfortable as Honor gushed all over the place. Josh just shrugged and stared fondly at his wife. Logan shook his head and rolled his eyes and Honor rambled on and on about family and friendship. If she burst into song, Logan was out of there. He squirmed in his chair and let his controlled gaze reluctantly linger on the one person he didn't want to look at.

Rory was watching him with a sad smile on her face. As their eyes connected, he couldn't help but feel the mix of emotions that were threatening to consume him. He felt anger and betrayal. He felt like he had no idea who the woman was sitting across from him, when a few days ago he had been so sure that she was the one, but she had lied to him.

She was involved with Daniel Rutherford; the husband of his dear friend Abigail. What kind of person has an affair with a married man? A father of two beautiful children. How could she live with herself knowing that she was putting that in jeopardy? Unless she didn't know. His anger abated slightly as he contemplated the notion that she was an innocent in this whole thing. Maybe she hadn't known about him being married. Perhaps she had only just found out the night before. Or perhaps, he was just trying to live in denial. His constant need to defend her, to make her whiter than white was affecting his ability to see things clearly.

He dropped his gaze to focus on his glass as Honor's voice broke through his reverie.

"I love you, Logan. In fact, I love everyone here," she insisted through her drunken haze. "I'm just so happy that you're all here. So, here's to me and Josh, Francie and Finn, Logan and Rory, and Colin and…" she paused, a pensive look on her face, "…don't worry Colin we'll find you someone," she assured him and Colin rolled his eyes as Finn and Francie giggled.

"Thanks," he said sarcastically and the table erupted in laughter, except for Rory and Logan. She gave Colin a reassuring pat on the shoulder and Logan just sipped on his drink. Both ignoring Honor's inference that they were together. In that moment, they had never been further apart.

RLRLRLRLRL

Rory clicked the mouse to save her document and breathed a sigh of relief. She had managed to finish her article in time for the deadline, which was both a good thing and a bad thing. It meant that her Editor; Yvette Calder would be happy, but it also meant that she no longer had the distraction of work to keep her from thinking about a certain someone. It meant that she no longer had a good excuse to keep avoiding the inevitable conversation with Caitlin about how her weekend with Logan had gone. She had crept back into their apartment late on the night before. Caitlin was already in bed and then this morning, she had rushed out of the apartment almost at the crack of dawn. She just didn't want to deal with Caitlin and hear about how much she had screwed up. She didn't want to think about it at all.

If she told Caitlin what had really happened, it was quite likely that she would kill her for ruining everything. Logan had told her he loved her. The plan had worked. Until her freak out. How could she justify her response to Caitlin? How could she justify it to herself? Perhaps it was a good thing. Perhaps it proved that she was still human, and that she wasn't an ice queen who could just go about ruining someone's life and feel no remorse. She felt remorse. She felt a whole myriad of emotions and she didn't quite know how to process them all yet. There had always been a spark between her and Logan from the first time they met. And all through his relationship with Caitlin, she had always found it a struggle to keep it under wraps. It was only natural that she would feel confused now. The line had become so blurry now; she wasn't sure what was real anymore.

Deep down she couldn't help but wonder that maybe, subconsciously she had tried to sabotage the whole thing. If the plan didn't work, she could go back to her life and try and move on. But was that what she really wanted? Because if she did, it would be a life without Logan Huntzberger. The thought left her uneasy and that scared her to death.

"Earth to Gilmore!" Francie was in front of her waving a hand in her face, trying to get her attention. Rory jumped slightly and shook away her cloudy thoughts.

"Sorry. I didn't see you there," she smiled apologetically. Francie gave her a look that told her she knew exactly what was keeping her so distracted.

"Yeah, I figured as much. You really can be a space cadet sometimes." Francie joked and perched on the edge of her desk. "You've got men on the brain. Or I should say, one man on the brain."

Rory gave her a firm look communicating how much she didn't want to have this conversation right now. Francie understood and quickly found a new topic to talk about.

"So, have you heard the news?"

"What news?" Rory asked as she tidied her desk, giving Francie only part of her attention. Going by the sparkle in her eye, Francie was in gossip mode and Rory really had no more room in her head to think about other peoples complicated lives.

Francie shifted closer and leaned in conspiratorially, lowering her voice as she stole a quick glance around at the other members of staff who were occupied with their own work.

"Well apparently we are soon going to be working for a new owner," she said smugly, pleased with herself for getting the big scoop.

"And who told you that?" Rory queried. She had learned always to query any piece of gossip floating around the office. Francie smirked and touched her finger to her nose.

"I have my sources," Rory giggled and rolled her eyes. Francie's sources were usually Raquel and Moira the receptionists. They always had their ear to the ground. There wasn't a whole lot that happened in the building that they weren't aware of. Francie had a tendency to take their word as gospel.

"Well I find it highly unlikely that Ira Wiseman is looking to sell up anytime soon. He likes having something to play with too much." Rory sat back in her chair with a feeling of absolute certainty. Ira Wiseman knew nothing about the newspaper business but 'The Herald' was like his play toy. He allowed Yvette Calder free reign on how she ran the paper and she was good at her job, but he liked to think that the success of the paper was all down to him. It wasn't. It was more likely in spite of him.

Francie nodded and smiled, "Money talks."

"So do you Francie. Too much!" Yvette barked as she passed by Rory's desk. Both girls jumped in surprise and caught the end of their fiery editors annoyed gaze. "Don't we have some work we should be getting on with?"

"Oh right! Sorry," Francie offered as she bowed her head and slinked away from Rory's desk. Yvette continued on her way back to her office, her assistant following behind.

RLRLRLRLRLRLRLRL

Logan stood in front of the big oak door, trying to refrain from knocking it down and throttling the man he had come to see. He had been standing outside for the past fifteen minutes, calming himself down. He knew how much he wanted to kill Daniel Rutherford. He had never hated someone as much as he hated that man. Well, that wasn't entirely true. There were a couple of other people who were pretty high on that list. But right at that moment, Daniel Rutherford was pretty close.

He had to try and get a hold of himself and not let his anger boil over. He had to be professional about this. If there was one thing he had learned from his father, it was not to let his personal feelings cloud his professional judgement. That lesson had been bothering him a lot lately. Here he was, about to go into business with Daniel Rutherford when all the while, the man was cheating on his wife; Logan's dear friend. Not only that, but he had been sleeping with the girl who had captured Logan's heart so completely. It put him in an awkward position both morally and professionally to say the least. His father would tell him that it didn't matter. That business was business. Mitchum would tell him to sign the contract and accept Rutherford's money with no qualms. But Logan wasn't sure he could do that. In fact he knew he couldn't. How could he trust Daniel Rutherford if could lie so successfully to his own wife? How could he look him in the eye everyday, knowing what he knew? How could he live with himself? He couldn't and that was why he found himself here.

He was about to go inside and pull the plug on the deal they had been working on for so long. He would go it alone without his investment. He would stay true to his principles and forge on regardless. If he didn't, it would make him a martyr. His father might not have any problems working with people he didn't respect or like, but that was one of the reasons for him breaking away in the first place. He didn't want to be his father. He wanted nothing to do with the man. And if he were to accept Daniel Rutherford's money it would make him no better that Mitchum Huntzberger. And he _was_ better than him. He would make it his life's ambition to prove that to himself and everyone else.

Taking a deep breath, he pressed his finger to the doorbell and waited to be greeted by the maid. He was surprised when the door opened and he saw the smiling face of his childhood friend beaming back at him.

"Logan! Well isn't this a surprise!" she said as she flung the door open wider and walked towards him, enveloping him in a warm embrace that made him feel sick to his stomach with guilt. She didn't deserve her kindness.

"Hey Abigail. It's good to see you again." He hugged her tightly and pulled away.

"Come in! Come in!" she gestured for him to enter and shut the door behind him, taking his coat and briefcase in the process. She handed them to the maid. Logan took in his grand surroundings. The inside of the house looked just like his family home. Large, exuberantly decorated but still empty. It was like a museum. He felt even guiltier for the life his friend lived with her lying husband. She had been sucked into that world just like he had almost been.

"So what brings you to these parts?" Abigail asked as she linked her arm with his and led him through to the lounge.

"Actually, I was hoping I could talk to your husband," he informed her, trying to hide the angry tone in his voice. He hadn't decided yet whether he was going to tell Abigail the truth about Rory and Daniel. He wasn't sure he could handle seeing the devastated look in her eyes when he broke it to her. _How do you tell someone that their whole life is a lie? _

So he had to be extra careful around her and not let anything slip.

"Oh, more shop talk?" she asked in a bored tone while rolling her eyes.

"Of course," he smiled and she shook her head at him.

"You really need to see about getting yourself a hobby, Huntzberger. Too much work and no play makes Logan a very dull boy."

Logan laughed uneasily and took the offered glass of Scotch she had prepared as she teased him.

"I play," he admitted and sat down on the couch. Abigail sat beside him and studied him closely.

"With Rory Gilmore?" she enquired cautiously. Her eyes never leaving his face as she tried to gage is reaction. Logan tried not to flinch at the name. He just sipped his drink and stayed silent. Abigail frowned and leaned forward.

"Uh oh! Trouble in paradise so soon?" she asked, sensing that something wasn't quite as perfect as it had been the last time she saw him at the party. He had looked so smitten with the Gilmore girl. She wondered what could've changed so much in such a short space of time.

"I don't want to talk about it," he said simply and she left it alone.

"Okay." Abigail patted his leg and then called for the maid to come through. A short, blonde girl came running in a few minutes later and Logan had to stop himself form laughing. The girl looked terrified.

"Rosie could you please tell Daniel that he has a visitor?" she commanded and the girl nodded and hurried out of the room. Logan looked at Abigail and noted the hint of authority on her face.

"You still love ordering them around?" he smirked and Abigail giggled.

"I can't help it. It's just too easy."

Logan shook his head and slumped back on the couch waiting for Daniel to arrive as Abigail went about telling him all about what the twins had been up to.

A few minutes later, a dark figure entered the room and Logan immediately tensed. Daniel came towards them, dressed in a dark suit and narrowed his eyes at the relaxed scene. He saw his wife and his supposed business partner snuggled up together and it made him sick. It reminded him of the other woman he had lost to Logan, and it made him hate him all the more.

"There you are!" Abigail smiled and jumped up from her seat beside Logan. She made her way over to Daniel and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Daniel's eyes were still locked on Logan. He was trying hard not to show how much he despised the man, but he found it very difficult. Logan was having the same problem. Every impulse in his body was telling him to kick the shit out of Daniel. He wanted to pummel him into a bloody mess and tell him to stay the hell away from Rory. He wanted to tell him to stay away from Abigail, but that wasn't his call.

"Logan came to talk business. Which means that it's my cue to go find Rosie and find out where she put my blue dress." Abigail spoke, completely oblivious to the seething hatred brewing between both men. "I'll see you later, Huntzberger!"

And with a little wave, she left them to it.

The room temperature dropped significantly as both men stared coldly at one another. Logan clenched his hands into fists by his side as he used all of his restraint to stop himself from flying across the room. Daniel narrowed his eyes and took a deep breath. He tried to brush away any thoughts he had of Logan and Rory together. He couldn't bear to think of him touching her. He couldn't bear to think that she had chosen that arrogant jackass over him.

"So, to what do I owe this pleasure?" Daniel asked as he coolly strode towards his unwelcome guest. His dark features were a mask over his true emotions.

Logan struggled to open his mouth and speak. He struggled to be civil in this man's company. He watched as Daniel unbuttoned his suit jacket and sat casually on the chair across from him. He had an arrogantly amused expression on his face, as if he didn't have a care in the world. It made him want to rip the smirk right off his face.

"I just wanted to meet you face to face to tell you that we will no longer be going into business together. I no longer need your money," he said trying to remain professional.

Daniel's eyebrows rose at the news, before he returned his expression back to the carefully crafted aloof front he had been putting on.

"I'm sorry to hear that," he lied and crossed his arms over his broad chest. "I was so looking forward to working with you."

Logan rolled his eyes and finished his drink. "You'll get over it."

Daniel laughed and sat up straight, his dark eyes locked on Logan's. "I'm sure I will. Abigail will be disappointed though. She was looking forward to us working together."

"Yeah, well Abigail isn't exactly aware of all the facts is she?" he said sternly.

"I'm not sure what you mean," Daniel said innocently. Logan's blood boiled over.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about, Daniel." He said through clenched teeth. He was seconds away from popping him one. He breathed deeply and let his gaze turn to the door before continuing. "I'm assuming she has no idea that her husband is a lying sack of shit!"

"My Abigail doesn't have the best judgement. I mean she is friends with you after all," he said calmly. He was doing a better job than Logan at keeping his cool.

"How can you just sit there and act like you don't give a damn? You have everything you could possibly want. A beautiful wife, two amazing kids. How can you screw with that?"

"I'm sorry; I don't know what you're talking about."

"I'm talking about Rory. Remember her? The girl you've been screwing behind your wife's back?" he bit out. He was loathe to even mention her name in his company. He didn't want to taint his mind any further. He could already picture them together. He didn't need to push it.

"Keep your voice down. These walls have ears," Daniel threw back in a low voice. Logan laughed.

"Oh please. You've probably been banging the help the whole time too." Logan sat his glass down on the table, "You really are a piece of work! I have no idea what either of them sees in you!"

"Because you're Mr Perfect!" Daniel bit back, his anger brewing under the surface.

"No, I'm not perfect," he told him coolly, "but I would never treat either of them the way you have."

"Well I guess Rory's a lucky girl to have someone like you in her life. I'm sure you'll be very happy together."

"Don't even say her name," he warned. "I mean it. Don't think about her. Don't go near her ever again. Stay away from Rory. Stay away from me. Or I swear to God, I'll tell Abigail everything. We'll see how smug you are then!"

With that, Logan held his gaze for a few more seconds, anger radiating off both of them. Then he stood up and turned towards the hallway. Daniel didn't move. He remained seated, taking deep breaths to maintain his calm. Logan turned back to face him and smirked.

"It was pleasure doing business with you," he said and then walked the rest of the way to the front door to fetch his coat and briefcase. Abigail was nowhere around. He would just have to say goodbye some other time. As he pulled on his coat, he heard footsteps behind him. He turned to see Daniel entering the hallway.

They stared at one another for a long moment before Daniel's lips curled into a smirk. "Just remember who had her first, Logan!"

Feeling his blood course furiously through his veins, Logan narrowed his eyes and clenched his fists. "And you'll never have her again."

Content at having wiped the smirk from the creeps face, Logan spun around, opened the door and escaped out into the night. He shut the door after him and stood in the driveway, taking deep breaths. He had to count to ten and resist the urge to go back inside and knock the living daylights out of Daniel Rutherford. He had never wanted to cause someone so much bodily harm before, not even his father.

**AN: **_Okay, so no real RL interactions in this chapter, but I promise they will be having words in the next chapter. Not necessarily nice words, but… _

_Thanks for reading and sticking with me. I really don't deserve it. But I'm grateful all the same. So, if you want to review and let me know what you think. Please do. _


	15. Chapter 14: Stuck In Limbo

**AN: So here's a new chapter from me. I know it's been a while, and I won't bore you with the reasons why it took so long. I'll just apologise and thank everyone who has stuck with me. I will finish this story and my other ones. So I hope you enjoy this update as things are really going to start getting interesting from this point on. Please leave a review once you've read and I will try and have another update soon.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls. But this story is mine.**

**Just Her Luck**

**Chapter Fourteen: Stuck In Limbo**

People always found it fascinating how much Rory Gilmore loved coffee. Rory found it even more fascinating how much coffee loved her clothes. For some reason, somehow, everyday like clock work, a large coffee stain always managed to find its way onto her blouse. Maybe it was the fates way of telling her to stop drinking so much caffeine. Or maybe she was just a slurper and should invest in a baby's bib to wear. Either way, she had learned the hard way that she had to start bringing another blouse to work with her for her to change into.

That's where she had been for the last ten minutes; standing in a stall in the ladies restroom, readjusting her outfit while trying to get rid of the stain in her shirt. It hadn't worked. She would have to drop it off at the dry cleaner's on her way home from the office.

She was casually making her way back to her desk, not really noticing the fact that Caroline, the receptionist was whispering conspiratorially into the phone while her eyes were almost bugging out of her head. Rory strode along the hallway and to her desk, her mind a million miles away as she thought about how stressful her life had become, when she bumped into one of the main reasons for that stress standing by her desk. He spun around to face her upon impact and immediately greeted her with a frown. He was not happy to see her, but she couldn't stop the little skip her heart made as she stared up into those penetrating brown eyes of his. He was dressed in a navy blue suit and his hair was its usual disarray. Normally his scowl would have made him look slightly dangerous, but when it was directed at her, it was damn near terrifying.

"Hi," she squeaked and he took a step backwards.

"Hi," he dropped his gaze to the ground and instantly she felt a cold chill wrap around her whole body. He was still angry with her. She supposed he had every right to be. She was fairly certain that he didn't go around telling many girls that he loved them only to have them break down in tears.

She took a deep breath and wrestled with the part of her brain that told her to leave it alone. The part that thought distance between them was a good thing. If they weren't close, she wouldn't have to hurt him in the end.

"It's good to see you. It's been a while." He didn't respond. He just looked at her sceptically. She found the courage to continue. "I wanted to call you. I just wasn't sure…"

"I've been busy," he finally spoke and Rory let out the breath she had been holding, relieved that he wasn't just ignoring her.

"Right. Of course," she said as she wrapped her arms around her body trying to provide some kind of support for herself, while he stared her down.

A few seconds of silence passed between them. Logan's gaze flitted from her to the desk to every other point in the office and back again. Rory's eyes remained fixed on him. She noticed how tense his jaw was. She could see a darkness clouding his eyes. It seemed like he was fighting every urge in his body, trying to suppress something, but she had no idea what.

"Um, I have a lunch break in like fifteen minutes. Maybe we could get something to eat, talk. I really wanted to-"

"Hey there are my two favourite people in the room!" Francie said brightly as she approached them carrying her purse in her hand.

Rory took a step back and gave her friend a strained smile. Her timing was impeccable as ever. She looked back at Logan, who seemed to relax in Francie's company.

"Are you ready to go?" he asked rather briskly. He had no desire to stand there any longer. He had to get out of that building soon, otherwise he would not be held responsible for his actions.

Rory's eyes widened in surprise as she realised that Logan had in fact been waiting for Francie, and not her as she had assumed. Francie studied Rory for a long moment before turning to Logan. "Keep your panties on, Huntzberger!" she said in a mocking tone. Logan glared at her and then proceeded to walk towards the elevator, completely blanking Rory. Francie furrowed her brows at Logan's behaviour and then turned back to face Rory.

"What's that all about?" she asked, concern was clear on her face. She had been Rory and Logan's biggest supporter from day one. She hated to see them lose track of things.

Rory sighed and shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know."

Francie's eyebrow rose automatically as she stared at her with scepticism in her eyes. "Hmm."

"So, since when did you two have lunch together?" Rory asked trying to take the focus off of her. She would tell Francie eventually about what had happened during their weekend away. But in the office with Logan standing a few feet away was not the place for that conversation.

"Oh," Francie expression changed from being suspicious to looking slightly guiltier. "I meant to talk to you about that."

Rory frowned as Francie averted her gaze to her feet, "Yvette called me into her office this morning to tell me the news."

"What news?" Rory asked, unsure of where the conversation was going. She could still see Logan glowering at her from the corner of her eye as he stood impatiently by the elevators.

"Remember that interview she wanted you to do with Logan?" she asked in a hopeful tone. "Welshesortofassignedmetodoit," she said all in one breath. Rory's eyes widened in slight surprise.

"Oh," she pondered that for a few seconds before Francie started rambling on.

"I didn't want to do it, but you know what Yvette is like. She has this way of making you agree to things that you have absolutely no intention of agreeing to. She was probably a car salesman in another life!" she continued and Rory found herself smiling despite herself.

"I didn't go behind your back and I certainly didn't request the interview. Please don't hate me!" she grabbed her arms and gave Rory a shake as she pleaded with her. Rory had to laugh at her dramatics.

"Francie! Relax!" she said as she broke free of her grip. "It's fine. If there was anyone who I would want to takeover that interview, it would be you. You're an amazing writer and you deserve it."

"Aww," Francie gushed and gave her a big bear hug, practically squeezing the life out of her.

"Francie…can't…breathe…"

"Oh sorry." Francie pulled back and beamed brightly at her. "I promise I'll do you proud. I'll even find out why he's being such a big jerk!"

With one last smile, Francie danced away from her, heading towards the elevators and Logan. Rory's heart sank as she met his gaze one last time. It was fleeting, but in that one instant she felt a lifetime of remorse.

"I guess you're father has always put pressure on you to succeed?" Francie peered at Logan from across the table, waiting for his answer. They had been sitting in the restaurant for over an hour, and she had to admit she found the whole thing fascinating. Her childhood had been very different to the life of silver-spooned indulgence that Logan grew up with, but through the haunted look in his eyes as he spoke about his fractured relationship with his father, she could tell that living the high life wasn't all it was cracked up to be.

Logan nodded as he took a sip from his glass of whiskey. "He wanted me to follow in his footsteps. When I was at Yale, he was always bugging me to write articles for the paper. I was more interested in partying and getting trashed. You can imagine the conflict that provided."

Francie snickered as she imagined a young Logan Huntzberger in college. She would have liked to have known him then, as well as Finn and Colin. She could only imagine the kind of hijinks they got up to back in the day. Thinking of a younger version of her friends, Rory popped into her mind. She remembered that Rory had also gone to Yale and had even been on the same newspaper as Logan. She couldn't believe that they had never come across one another.

"So how come you and Rory never met before?" Logan's smile faded at the mention of Rory's name. "I mean, you both went to Yale. You were both on the Yale Daily News. I can't believe that you never even bumped into each other."

"I knew who she was," he said after a silent pause. His voice was low and almost vulnerable. Like it pained him to admit it. Francie's eyes widened.

"You did?"

"I used to read her articles," he admitted, his eyes softening as he remembered a simpler time in his life.

"But you never met?"

"No. We didn't exactly run in the same circles," he explained and Francie considered what could have been if things had been different. She imagined Rory waiting in line to buy coffee and then bumping into the tall, blonde, handsome stranger. She was fairly certain that the two of them were meant to be and was absolutely sure that had they met before Caitlin came into their lives, they would probably be married with successful careers and little blonde haired, blue-eyed babies crawling around. She smiled at the vision in her head.

"What are you smiling about?" Logan's voice snapped her back to reality. She looked at his miserable face and resolved that she would do her utmost to try and achieve that little vision of happiness for her friends.

"What's going on with you and Rory?" she asked bluntly. "Last weekend you were all over each other and now you can barely be in the same room as her."

"Why don't you ask Rory?" he replied rather harshly. All softness completely disappeared from his eyes.

"I'm asking you," she stated in a firm tone. She wasn't going to let Logan dodge her questions. She had worked too hard to get her friends together. She wasn't going to let all of that slip away without a fight.

She stared at him in expectancy as Logan just glared at her. A few moments passed with neither willing to back down. Both of them were just as stubborn as the other.

"I don't talk about my personal life with journalists," he said in an icy tone. His eyes blackened and she was a little taken aback by how easy he brushed her off. Furrowing her brow, she reigned in her anger and reached out a hand to cover his on the table. Her eyes met his as she conveyed her hurt at his blasé attitude.

"What about with friends?" she asked softly and Logan's façade melted slightly. He turned his hand upside down and gave hers a reassuring squeeze.

"Not right now," he breathed and she could see the emotional torment in his eyes. She squeezed his hand in return, indicating that she understood and would not push him this time.

"So, what's it like being the heir to a multi-billion dollar empire?" she asked, her eyes widened as she considered how many pairs of shoes she could buy with that kind of fortune. Logan snickered and then loosened his grip on her hand and sat back.

He shrugged and finished his whiskey. "Its not all as glamorous as you might think, believe me."

Having endured a long hard day at work, mixed with the emotional stresses of seeing Logan again, Rory made a beeline for the bathroom as soon as she entered her apartment. She stripped off her clothes along with all the other baggage and climbed inside enjoying the feel of the hot water as it washed away her day. The warm spray cleansed her body and mind, making her remember what it felt like during simpler times. She wished she could just stay in the safety of her shower forever. But she knew she couldn't. Eventually the water would turn cold and she would have to deal with the harsh light of day, including her roommate. She had been dodging her ever since she had returned from Hartford as she had no desire to be 'debriefed', as Caitlin put it. She had been on her case about wanting to know every detail of what happened and was like a dog with a bone; relentless.

What was she supposed to tell her? The plan worked? Logan had declared his love for her and now it was time to rip his heart out? Was that even the case any more? A mixture of her reaction and something else had led Logan to practically rescind his revelation and revert to the cold, stand-offish man she'd been faced with at her office.

Perhaps she should just tell Caitlin that the plan hadn't worked, and that Logan was no longer interested in her. She could leave him alone, stay away from him and they could both go on with their lives. That would be the sensible thing to do. However, she wasn't sure whether she could stay true to that resolve. She wasn't sure if she could stay away from him. He might not want anything to do with her anymore, but she had to admit that he had gotten under her skin. She couldn't deny the effect he had on her, even when he was scowling at her with seething hatred. Perhaps it was too late and she was in too deep.

"Hey Gilmore!" Rory started as she heard Caitlin's voice drift through the fog in her mind and her shower. "You still alive in there?"

Rory sighed and turned off the spray before climbing out of the shower. She wrapped a towel around her body, drying herself off and called back to her friend.

"I'll be out in a minute!" It was time to face the music.

Rory trudged through to the living room, wearing her old sweats. Her hair was still damp and her complexion was pretty sallow, but she didn't care. Her outer appearance reflected how she felt inside. She had been dreading having this conversation with Caitlin. She had gone over and over in her mind about what she should tell her.

Caitlin sat on the couch with her legs curled underneath her. She sipped on a mug of coffee and smiled as she noticed her room mate.

"I ordered pizza," she informed her as she gestured towards the other mug of coffee sitting on the table. "I rented some DVD's from the store. I figured we could have a movie night. We haven't had one of those in forever."

Rory's expression changed from slight trepidation to one of confusion as she took in the scene. There were two blankets thrown over the couch, the table was filled with bowls of chips and dips and even popcorn. Caitlin had gone all out, and if she didn't know her better, she would've been fairly touched at such a sweet gesture.

"Well come on. Sit," she instructed in an eerily chirpy tone. Rory's confusion was morphing into suspicion. Caitlin never did anything nice without an ulterior motive. She figured this was her attempt to butter her up so she could pump her for information regarding the ill fated weekend.

Rory swallowed her doubts and joined Caitlin on the sofa. Caitlin grinned at her and covered them both with the blankets, before pointing the remote at the DVD player. They both settled back as the movie started up, Rory's suspicious gaze remained fixed on her roommate though as she tried to figure out her angle.

About halfway through 'The Breakfast Club', there was a knock at the door and Caitlin jumped up from her seat.

"Finally!" she said as she grabbed her purse and headed for the door. "I'm starving."

Rory paused the movie; her mind was all over the place. She had no idea what was going on. It had been about an hour into their movie night and Caitlin hadn't as much as mentioned Logan Huntzberger. And considering the fact that he had been the sole topic of the majority of their conversations since their little revenge plan had begun, she found that very strange.

"I got pepperoni. I hope that's ok?" Caitlin asked as she re-entered the room holding the pizza box. Rory shrugged and Caitlin plopped down beside her as Rory restarted the movie. They helped themselves to a slice and then proceeded to mock how bad fashion was in the 80's.

As they laughed together like old times, Rory found herself relaxing for the first time all day. She found herself thinking that maybe she was wrong. Perhaps Caitlin held no ulterior motive and in fact just wanted to hang out with her friend.

Once the movie ended, Rory laughed out loud. "Well if I'd known that's what happened in detention, I would've gotten into trouble at school."

Caitlin snorted, "Trust me, in all the hundred times I got detention, not once did I end up hooking up with the weirdo loner guy."

"Why doesn't it surprise me to think that you were the spoilt princess in high school?"

Caitlin threw the pillow at her head and narrowed her eyes sending a mock death glare Rory's way.

"You were probably the freak that had dandruff in her hair and never spoke to anyone," she hit back and Rory couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"How did you know?" The both broke down into hysterics as they imagined each other back in in their high school days.

As the giggling receded, Rory settled back against the couch with a handful of popcorn. She had missed just goofing around with her best friend. It had been a while since they'd just had fun together.

After a few seconds of silence, Rory felt Caitlin's eyes on her. She turned to see her staring at her with a look of concern in her eyes.

"What?" she asked, shifting uncomfortably under her gaze. Caitlin sighed and placed a hand on Rory's shoulder.

"I just wanted to say that I'm sorry," she said softly but with much sincerity in her tone. Rory frowned as she tried to work out why she would be apologising.

"Sorry for what?"

"I heard about you and Daniel breaking up," she explained and immediately Rory shifted forward out of Caitlin's grasp. "I feel kind of responsible. I mean, I know how crazy you were about him and I can only imagine that this whole Logan thing didn't exactly make things any easier for you. Dating a married guy can be hard enough, let alone having to seduce someone else."

"That's not why we broke up, Caitlin."

"It's not? Then why?" Rory let out a heavy sigh and turned to face her friend. Caitlin gazed intently back at her, curious for her answer.

"I just…I should never have gotten involved with him in the first place. It was a mistake. A stupid mistake. I just want to forget all about it and him."

Caitlin nodded in understanding and placed her hand reassuringly on Rory's knee. "So you're not mad at me?"

Rory shook her head and Caitlin visibly relaxed. "Good because I've been dying to find out what happened in Hartford with you and Logan…"

"Nothing happened, Caitlin." Rory lied. She slumped back against the couch and pulled her blanket around her.

"Oh come on. Even with the tiny bikini? I find that hard to believe that he could've taken his eyes off you if you wore that thing," she admonished, unwilling to let it go. "You did wear it, right?"

"Yes I wore it," she felt a thrill rush through her body as images of that night in the hot tub with Logan hit her full force. She remembered the feel of his hands on her, his mouth, his scent…

"And?" Caitlin wanted to know. She had her scary obsessed face back on, making Rory very uncomfortable.

"And nothing. Colin interrupted," she explained. She wasn't technically lying. He had interrupted them, just after they had come dangerously close to going a little too far in the hot tub.

Caitlin's shoulders slumped and she let out a sigh of frustration. "That loser always gets in the way."

After a few moments of contemplative silence, Caitlin spoke, "Have you seen him since you got back?"

"Um…" Rory remembered the icy cool stare he'd given her earlier that day.

"Well you'll just have to go back to the café and 'accidentally' bump into him again," she said using her fingers as air quotes around the word 'accidentally'.

Too tired to argue and too disheartened to even think about Logan anymore, Rory decided that she'd had enough. She let out a yawn and untangled the mess of blankets around her.

"I think I'm going to hit the hay," she told Caitlin who just ignored her as she stared off into the distance with an eerie look in her eyes.

"Goodnight," Caitlin didn't answer.

It took Rory a few days to 'accidentally' bump into Logan. At first she had actively put it off. She didn't want to see that dark look in his eyes. She preferred to live in the past when every time he'd looked at her she'd felt like she was the only person in the world to him. That look had disappeared over night and she missed it. She missed him.

In fact it was through missing him that she finally relented and headed to the café on her lunch break. Once she'd paid for her skinny latte and breathed in the rich aroma, she turned to make her way to _their _favourite table. As she sipped on her latte, her eyes drifted up to see that great minds thought alike. A slight smile covered her face as she watched Logan seated in his usual chair, reading the paper while running his hand through his messy hair for probably the hundredth time that day. The sight of him affected her more that she was willing to admit to. She really had missed him.

Taking a deep breath, she moved towards Logan and stopped abruptly as he lifted his head. His eyes met hers and her voice caught in her throat as she saw that dreaded look in his eyes. He wasn't happy to see her.

"Hi," she managed to find her voice, but even then it came out in a timid whisper. Logan continued staring at her as if wondering how she had the audacity to even breathe the same air as he did.

"You can have this table. I was just leaving," he stated as he gathered up his newspaper and phone. He pushed out his chair and was about to stand up when Rory's eyes widened, horrified that he was going to runaway from her again.

"No!" she shouted louder than she meant to, causing everyone in the café to stare at them. Rory blushed in embarrassment before turning her attention back to Logan. "Please…don't go. Stay."

She pleaded with him. After a few seconds of contemplation, Logan gave in and he sat back down in his chair. Rory joined him at the table, carefully sitting in the chair across from him. She placed her mug on the table and unravelled her scarf from around her neck. She felt every ounce of Logan's stare as he watched her through narrowed eyes.

Taking a deep breath, she clasped her hands together before finally allowing her hesitant eyes to meet his gaze. The second their eyes met, she regretted it. There was no familiar spark or mischievous glint in his eyes, just cold, harsh contempt.

Swallowing the lump that had formed in her throat, she tried to find the words. "Logan, I wanted to apologise for how I reacted that night. When you said…what you said,"

Logan shifted in his chair and Rory somehow managed to continue. "You just kind of caught me off guard and-"

"You already said all of this," he cut her off abruptly.

"I know. But I just wanted to make sure you understood how sorry I was. I never meant to hurt your feelings. That's the last thing I'd ever want to do," she said honestly but recognised the irony in her words. Logan snorted in derision. "What?"

She paused as she noticed the angry smile on his face. "You can cut the bull, Rory. I know. Ok. I know."

Rory frowned, puzzled by his response. "You know what?"

Logan fixed her with a knowing stare and his grin faded, "I know everything."


	16. Chapter 15: Falling Off That Pedestal

**AN: I just checked my profile and I haven't updated this one since November. I can't believe it's been that long and I can only apologise. I've had this chapter half written for a few months and whenever I tried to finish it, nothing ever came out right. I don't even think I'm really happy with this but I wanted to finish this story and I know I kind of left you all hanging. I'm so sorry for that and I hope that there are still some people out there who still care about this story and its outcome. I am about halfway through the next chapter and it's a biggie. I won't make any promises as to when it will be finished but it will definitely not be another 7 months before I update. As for my other stories, I've started writing ISWAK again. As for the others, hopefully something will inspire me. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the words. **

Just Her Luck

Chapter Fifteen: Falling Off That Pedestal

Rory felt her stomach drop and her whole body flood with dread as she contemplated just what exactly he knew.

"W-what…do you m-mean you know…'everything'?" she hesitated, barely able to get the words out. Her voice almost choked in her throat as all the horrible things she had done flashed before her eyes. Logan seemed to find amusement in her discomfort. There was a long pause before he finally answered her question.

"How's Daniel?"

Rory blinked, frozen at his question. She had not foreseen how Daniel could become a topic in this conversation.

"Daniel?" she repeated. The amusement disappeared from his features. "I don't…"

"Don't," he said darkly. "Don't insult my intelligence by pretending you don't know what I'm talking about."

"Logan, I…" she was speechless. This whole conversation had completely caught her off guard. However, she quickly resigned herself to her fate. "How did you…?"

"I thought it was kind of strange that he would be calling you at 3am. I mean, considering you had just met him that night at the party for the first time. Then I wondered why you would have his number saved in your phone…" He let his words linger in the air between them and Rory knew there was no point trying to deny anything. He knew the truth and she couldn't lie.

"He's the other guy," Logan said. It was more like a statement than a question. He already knew the answer. Rory lowered her gaze and let out a resigned sigh.

"It's not what you think, Logan. It's over. I ended things that night," she said insistently trying to justify herself.

"Because you found out he was married?" he asked her with hope in his eyes and in his tone. She could see how desperately he wanted to hold onto the hope that she wasn't a truly horrible person.

"I mean, you didn't know, right?"

Rory bit her lip nervously, searching her brain for the words to make what she was about to confess sound better than it was.

"Please tell me you didn't know, Rory." His voice was almost pleading.

"At first…I didn't know he was married when I first met him. When I found out, I ended it but…"

"But what?" Logan prodded.

"But I loved him," she admitted before shaking her head, reconsidering the truth in that statement. "I thought I was in love with him. He told me he was unhappy and I just wanted someone to…want…me. To love me, I was able to justify it to myself. Somehow."

Her voice trailed off as her eyes flitted up to meet Logan's questioning gaze. She was hesitant to look him in the eye but she knew it was the only way she would learn the truth. Did he hate her now?

"How long?"

"What?" she stared at him as he silently seethed across from her.

"How long were you screwing a married man?" He bit out with a sneer. Rory's body shuddered. She could see the anger radiating off of him.

"Um, a few…six months," she replied, hating that she had lied to herself for so long.

Logan's eyes widened in shock at her revelation. "Six months?"

"I was stupid and naïve. I thought…I don't even know what I was thinking. I wasn't thinking. I was just stupid and selfish and I hate myself."

"You and Daniel have been having some sleazy affair for six months?" Logan stood up, his voice rising along with his temper. "This whole time? How could you…?"

"Logan," she tried to reason with him, but he was full of outrage.

"No!" he banged his fist on the table, making her jump along with their coffee cups. People were starting to stare at them. "You lied to me. You lead me on like an idiot this whole time. And all the while you were off with…him!"

He was yelling at her now. She sat in her seat in the middle of a busy coffee shop completely horrified as Logan laid into her. She deserved every minute of it and worse. There was nothing she could do.

"What about his family? His kids? Did you ever stop to think about them?"

"Logan-"

"I have to get out of here," he said finally. His whole body was shaking with the disgust and hatred he felt for her. "I can't stand to look at you."

"Logan, wait," she pleaded with him and grabbed his arm. He thrust it from her grasp and gave her a look so filled with hatred it made her wince.

"I always wondered why you and Caitlin were friends. I couldn't understand what you had in common with her. Now I know." He bent down so his face was level with hers. She couldn't look him in the eye. "You're both lying, manipulative whores. And I never want to see you again!"

With that he stormed off leaving her red-faced and humiliated. She felt as though he had just punched her in the stomach. Her head was spinning and her heart was broken. He hated her. He truly hated her, and he didn't even know the whole truth.

**oOoOoOoOoOoOo**

"Maybe he'll come around," Francie offered in her best supportive friend voice. Rory glared at her and went back to staring into the bottom of her empty glass.

"He called me a whore, Francie. He hates me…" she raised her glass to the bartender for a refill, "…and I deserve it."

"You made a mistake, Rory. You didn't kill anybody."

"I'm a home wrecker." Rory spun on her stool to face her friend. "Logan was right. Daniel had a family. He has a wife and two kids. I completely ignored that because I didn't want to be alone anymore. I'm a horrible person!"

"You are not a horrible person, Rory. You're human. And sometimes we do things that we think make sense at the time but turn out to be horrible mistakes. You screwed up, but you're not the only guilty party here. Don't forget about Daniel in all of this."

"You should have seen the look on his face," Rory ignored Francie's comments and downed her vodka in one, wincing as the liquid burned her throat. "Nobody has every looked at me like that. He hates me and he doesn't even know…"

"Doesn't even know what?" Francie prodded as Rory's voice trailed off. Francie watched on as her desolate friend stared off into the distance with pain in her eyes. She wished there was something she could do to ease some of that pain, but Rory seemed determined to feel every second of it.

"Rory?"

"Huh?" she snapped out of her reverie and glanced over at Francie.

"Do you love him?" Francie asked carefully. She slipped her hand over Rory's in a comforting gesture. She already knew the answer, she just wanted to test the waters to see whether Rory had realised the truth yet.

"Daniel?" Rory asked raising her eyebrows as her voice slurred slightly. She'd had more than her regular intake of alcohol already this evening.

Francie tilted her head and stared at Rory knowingly. It took a few seconds for Rory to realise that Francie was not talking about Daniel. She sighed, her shoulders slumping in resignation.

"What does it matter? It doesn't make any difference." She told her in a defeated tone. Francie smiled sadly and squeezed her fingers.

"It might make some difference if you told him."

"I can't do that," Rory said shaking her head vehemently.

"Why not?" Francie was beginning to grow frustrated with her friend. She silently thanked god that her love life wasn't so complicated. Finn was relatively straightforward and she was truly grateful for that and for him.

"It's too late, Francie!" Rory said abruptly shaking off her self-pity and becoming more annoyed and frustrated. "And besides, he's better off without me."

Francie didn't agree with her friend's last statement but chose not to challenge it at this point.

**oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

The next morning, Francie cursed Rory for dragging her to that bar as her head would not stop pounding. She lay on her boyfriend's couch with her arm slung over her forehead praying for the room to stop spinning. When she heard a door banging shut, she groaned and cursed the perpetrator.

"Not so loud!" she called out forgetting that noise of any kind was not agreeable to her fragile state.

Logan eyed her cautiously before his gaze met Finn's. His friend offered him a friendly smile and continued on in his task of making the world's best hangover cure out of bacon, eggs and pancakes.

"What's up with her?" Logan wondered as he made his way to the refrigerator. He opened the door and pulled out the carton of fresh orange juice. As he poured himself a drink he heard Francie groan from the living room.

"Poor love had one too many last night," he explained as he tried to avoid the spitting frying pan.

"Lightweight!" Logan mused loudly only to receive another curse.

"Apparently, she spent the night trying to console a certain Miss Gilmore," Finn admitted causing Logan to fire a glare in his direction.

"Don't Finn," he warned and poured himself more juice. He'd had a few drinks the night before too and at the mention of Rory he was beginning to feel the effects.

"Don't give me that look," Finn brushed off his glare as he laid out the plates.

"It's none of your business, Finn."

"When your failure of a love life starts to affect mine, it becomes my business, mate."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Francie was wasted last night and is suffering this morning, meaning no love for Finn because she spent the night trying to clean up your mess," Finn told him with a frown on his face. He'd had to spend the night holding Francie's hair while she threw up in his toilet and then she had been too ill this morning for them to enjoy some morning lovin'.

"I'm sorry. When did I become the bad guy in this?"

"When you called Rory a whore and said you never wanted to see her again," said Francie in an icy tone as she entered the kitchen. Finn gasped at her words and sent Logan a death glare.

"You did not say that!" Finn asked aghast at such a comment. Fleeting shame flickered through Logan's mind as his harsh comments were played back to him. In the light of day, he did feel pretty bad about what he'd said to Rory. But he was angry and hurt. He felt humiliated by Rory. His pride had been hurt and he felt like an idiot for acting like some lovesick puppy when all the while, Rory had been off gallivanting with Daniel.

"She was sleeping with a married man!" he blew up, his frustration getting the better of him. "She lied to me and made me look like an idiot."

"Not so loud," Francie protested as she rubbed her forehead. Finn gave her a loving look and placed a chaste kiss on her nose before turning on Logan.

"Look mate, I get that your angry and your ego got bruised," Logan rolled his eyes as he leaned against the counter, folding his arms across his chest as Finn continued, "but I have never seen you so gaga for a girl before in my life. Don't you think you should at least talk to her? Hear her side of the story."

"I heard her side. I don't want to hear anymore about it."

"She feels terrible, you know." Francie wrapped her arms around Finn and rest her head against his chest. "I know you think she's some, cold, heartless bitch right now, but she never wanted to hurt you. She cares about you. More than she's willing to admit to herself."

"I don't want to talk about this anymore," Logan narrowed his eyes and rubbed his forehead as he felt a headache coming on.

"Fine," Francie threw her hands up in surrender, "but don't throw away the best thing that ever happened to you out of hurt pride and jealousy."

"What are you talking about? What exactly am I jealous about?" Logan's irritation was flaring again.

Francie's gaze softened and she moved out of Finn's embrace to stand in front of Logan.

"You've wanted her forever. You thought you had her. Then you discover that you were wrong," she paused, silently allowing her words to pierce Logan's angry bravado.

"That's got to hurt."

Silence descended amongst the three of them, only the sounds of Finn's breakfast cooking could be heard. Francie stood inches from Logan, her eyes burning through him. Logan held her gaze briefly before finally allowing her words to resonate and his resolve to perish.

With one long sigh, his shoulders slumped in defeat. He dropped his gaze to the floor and ran his fingers through his hair. Francie looked over her shoulder at Finn. The concern in her eyes was mirrored in her boyfriend's. She turned back to face Logan as he let out another sigh.

"I told her I loved her," he admitted, finally breaking down. "And all the while…"

Francie reached out grasping his hand. He met her gaze and she gave him a sympathetic smile. "She never wanted me, she just…"

"She wanted you," Francie told him honestly. "She always wanted you. Don't ever doubt that. She just…screwed up. You've had her on a pedestal for so long. You were only willing to see the good things about her. But she's not perfect."

"Nobody is," Finn cut in.

"She screws up and does stupid things sometimes but she's still Rory. She's still the girl you fell in love with."

"I don't know," Logan shook his head, his pride not allowing him to just give in. "I don't know anything anymore."

"You know Rory," Francie said firmly, clasping both of Logan's hands in her own. "Deep down, you know her. You know her heart. Yeah you're hurt right now and you should take time to figure things out, but you don't have to figure out who she really is. Because you've known all along."

Another silent moment passed as Logan contemplated Francie's words as well as his own frustrating feelings. Part of him wanted to hate Rory and continue being mad at her. The other part was just so tired of being angry all the time. He was tired of having to fight. He just wanted to be happy and he had truly believed that he had found that happiness with Rory. How could he have been so wrong?

Was he wrong?

"You belong together," Francie said finally. Her hushed tone breaking his thoughts. He looked at her. His eyes fixed on hers, his brain assessing her words. His heart melted a little; he'd always believed those words to be true.

**oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

"Remind me to never go drinking again," Rory groaned as she felt the full effects of her hangover kick in. Her head was throbbing, her stomach was swirling and her whole body was aching. She lay sprawled out on the sofa, with a blanket pulled over her head. It was a little after noon, but she still felt like death warmed up. Stefan lay beside her on the floor. He grumbled and then fell back asleep. Rory envied the cushy life of a dog; never having to deal with hangovers or getting your heart broken.

The front door opened and in walked her best friend and roommate, Caitlin Forbes. She'd been away for the weekend visiting family and looked to be in a slightly more chipper mood than usual.

"Hey Roomie!" she sang as she plopped her bags on the chair and dropped her keys on the coffee table causing Rory to cringe at the noise.

"Not so loud," Rory scolded her as she whipped the blanket from her face. She saw Caitlin staring at her with a curious expression on her face before realisation dawned.

"Well that's a nice welcome home," Caitlin placed her hands on her hips and Rory felt slightly guilty for shouting at her.

"Sorry," she apologised and tried to sit up.

"God it smells like a cat died in here!" Caitlin complained as she made her way over to open a window.

"Sorry," Rory apologised once more, wishing the thumping in her head would disappear.

"Are you hung over?"

"No, I'm just…maybe."

Rory gave in; she didn't have the energy to get into it with Caitlin.

"Big party?" she asked curious as to what exploits her friend had gotten up to in her absence.

"I wish," she grumbled and rubbed her forehead.

"Did Logan get you drunk and try to seduce you?" she laughed conspiratorially. Rory felt a pain shoot through her chest at the mention of his name. She saw a flash of the hatred she'd seen in his eyes as he'd called her a lying, manipulative whore. She remembered it all and she felt like her heart had been ripped out of her chest once again.

"Hey, what happened?" Caitlin had obviously noticed her pain and was now sitting perched on the coffee table beside her. Rory felt a lump in her throat and the tears began to prickle behind her eyes. She really didn't want to have this conversation.

"Nothing," she said as she tried to roll over and away from Caitlin.

"Something happened." Caitlin sounded angry now. "I have a right to know. This whole thing was my idea, remember?"

That was the final straw. And despite how much her head hurt and despite how much she wanted to curl up into a ball and hide away from the world, Caitlin's reminder that all of this was her idea made something snap inside Rory.

She flung off the blanket and whirled back to face her friend.

"I remember!" she yelled catching Caitlin by surprise. "And it's over, okay?"

"What do you mean it's over?"

"He hates me!" her heart broke as she said the words. "He found out about Daniel and now he hates me. I screwed up. I'm sorry. You'll just have to find someone else for your sick little games. I'm out!"

And with that, she sprung up off the couch and ran to her room, slamming the door behind her. In the silence of her bedroom, all of the emotion and all of the pain overwhelmed her body and she crumpled to the floor, letting wave after wave pour out of her.

Logan Huntzberger was the one good thing she had in her life. She may have come to realise that in a screwed up kind of way, but it didn't mean it wasn't true. And now she had lost him forever.


	17. Chapter 16: It's A Long Way Down

It was a dreary, overcast day and it matched Logan's mood perfectly. He'd had to drag himself out of bed this morning and force himself to face the day at work. He had been relieved when his sister had called, inviting him to lunch. She was in town shopping and decided she wanted to share her lunch with her little brother. Logan was happy for the distraction. They sat in Franco's café, at a table by the window. Logan stared out of the window as the grey sky threatened rain. Honor sat across from him, seemingly oblivious to his mood and the drama in his life. He wasn't really interested in sharing it, so he remained quiet as she babbled on about Josh.

"So I explained to Josh, that if he wanted to remain married to me, he'd better keep the romance alive. Just 'cause we're married now, doesn't mean he can stop buying me gifts like he used to when we first got together, you know?" Honor lifted her latte to her mouth for a sip whilst peering over at her brother's troubled face. She knew he had been completely oblivious to anything she had just said, but she also knew her brother. When something was bothering him, it was best to keep talking at him until he got so fed up listening to her that he would be begging to tell her his problems.

"Uh huh," Logan acknowledged her presence distractedly but remained staring out the window as if fascinated by the passers-by. Honor sighed impatiently. It would seem that her methods were not working and she really wanted to know what was going on with her little brother.

"Logan?" she sat her mug back on the table and leaned forward, her eyes fixed on him. "What's going on in that head of yours?"

"What?" he dragged his gaze away from the window and sipped his coffee, which was now nearly cold.

"Where have you been for the last thirty minutes? 'Cause you haven't been here."

Logan sighed and sat back in his chair. He felt guilty for ignoring his sister. He just couldn't get his mind off of a certain someone. "Sorry."

"Don't be sorry. Just talk to me," Honor reached for his hand and gave it a comforting squeeze. "Does it have something to do with Rory?"

Logan narrowed his eyes at his sister. He really didn't want to have this conversation again. He was tired of the whole thing.

"Okay, stupid question. Of course it has something to do with Rory. I knew there was something up with you two when you left Hartford."

"Honor…" he let out a deep sigh as he ran his hand over his face. Honor squeezed his hand again and stared at him with concern in her eyes, gesturing for him to open up to her.

With a deep breath, Logan blurted out everything that had happened. He told his sister all about Rory's sordid affair, except he left out the details of who she had been seeing. Even when angry with Rory, his first instinct was always to protect her.

"Wow!" Honor sat back once he finished spilling his guts, anger bubbling. "What a bitch! Where do Finn and Francie get off making you feel like the bad guy? I think if anyone should be made to feel like crap it should be Rory."

"Thank you!" Logan said loudly, grateful that finally someone was on his side. He failed to mention that the main reason Finn and Francie had been so hard on him was mainly because of how he'd spoken to Rory. Calling her a whore was not exactly something he was proud of, but in the heat of the moment, he'd lost it.

"I can't believe Rory would have an affair with a married guy. I mean, she always seemed so…" Honor paused searching for the right word. "…wholesome."

"People aren't always what they seem."

"You can say that again," Honor gestured towards the waitress for another coffee, before turning her full gaze on her brother. "So you think she's been leading you on this entire time?"

"I don't know," he shrugged. His head was all over the place. He'd been trying to figure it all out, but it was too much.

"She can't be that good of an actor. I saw firsthand how she looks at you. That's not something you can fake, Logan." Honor was calming down now. Reason was starting to take control and as much as she wanted to protect her brother, she knew in her gut that there was more to this story.

"Maybe you should talk to her-" Logan pushed out his chair, ready to bolt. He really didn't want to hear someone else tell him what to do. Honor grabbed his arm and held firmly. She met his stare and tugged on his sleeve, indicating for him to sit back down. "Let things cool down and hear what she has to say. I mean, aren't you curious?"

Logan sat back down, his hands gripping the edge of the table, as he tried to calm down his own breathing.

"I'm not saying you have to do it now. Give it a few weeks. If you still want her in your life…do you?"

Logan was silent for a few moments as he contemplated her question. Did he still want her in his life? Would it be so easy to just forgive and forget? Could he really walk away from the one person he'd given his heart to?

He shrugged his shoulders and slumped back in his chair. A deep sigh of resignation escaping his mouth.

"I don't know."

**JHL**

A week had passed since Rory and Caitlin's confrontation. A week in which Rory had spent sleeping on Francie's couch. As she lay there in silent contemplation, she couldn't believe how much her life had unravelled in such a short amount of time. In that time she'd barely slept, barely eaten and barely even stepped foot outside Francie's apartment. She couldn't find the strength to face the big, bad world. Not when there was a chance she could run into Logan.

She still had nightmares about the look on his face the last time she'd seen him. The sheer hatred and disgust in his eyes had replayed over and over in her head, making her feel sick and shame for her actions.

Every time she thought of him, there was a big aching hole in her chest. She missed him enormously and would give anything to just hear his voice or see him smile, even if it were just for a moment. She hated herself for having caused him pain. She hated herself even more for the fact that if he found out the whole extent of her lies, it would tear him apart. Rory had somehow managed to get herself into an impossible situation and she had no idea how to make it better. Even if Logan somehow found it in his heart to forgive her for the Daniel thing, she would be constantly on edge that he would find out about her part in Caitlin's scheme. Unless she came clean herself.

She was in a lose - lose situation.

"We should go out tonight?" Francie called through from the kitchen, as she finished making their morning coffees. Rory didn't answer. Instead she just pulled the blanket over her head. She had no desire to go anywhere.

"It would be fun. Remember that? Fun?" Francie asked as she planted both their mugs on the table opposite Rory, and shoved her friend's feet out of the way to make space for her to sit.

"Francie!" Rory threw the blanket off and sat up; glaring at Francie as she gratefully received her steaming cup of coffee. If it hadn't been for coffee, she probably would have shrivelled away to nothing by now. And Francie.

"I'm just saying," She threw her hands up in protest, "you haven't stepped foot outside of these four walls in a week, you haven't told me what happened with Caitlin, you won't talk about you-know-who. I'm worried about you, Gilmore."

Rory immediately felt guilty for snapping at her friend. Francie was the only one she could turn to. She couldn't talk to her mother, she was too ashamed. Francie was the only one who didn't hate her. She'd been kind in letting her stay on her couch. She'd been understanding in not asking too many questions. And how did she repay her, by being ungrateful.

"I'm sorry," she whispered as she took a sip from her coffee cup. "I just…I don't think I can face out there right now." Rory gestured towards the window, indicating her fear of the big, bad world outside.

"It could be good for you. Maybe what you need right now is to take your mind off everything. You're going to go crazy sitting here all the time."

"I can't Francie," she felt a knot in her throat as her overemotional state frayed once again.

"Okay," Francie reached out and grabbed her friend's hand, sensing her mood. "What if we stayed in and had a few drinks? We could talk or watch movies, do each others nails. Make it a real girl's night in. We haven't done that in forever. It might make you feel a little better."

Rory considered her friends idea for a few moments. All she really wanted to do was be by herself, but she owed Francie big time. So she smiled softly and nodded.

"Great!" Francie was ecstatic at having finally managed to get her friend to agree to do something. She'd been like a zombie all week. And the longer it went on, she was growing more and more worried. She really needed to do something to help. It was just part of her nature. She always wanted to help the people she loved. And Rory was like the little sister she'd never had. She hated seeing her so depressed. So she resolved to do something about it. If only she could find someway to get Rory and Logan talking again…

**JHL**

Rory walked out of the bathroom in her pyjamas, while towel drying her hair. She'd finally given in and gotten off the couch and had a shower. She felt somewhat like a human being again. At least, she did on the outside. On the inside, was an entirely different matter altogether.

She made her way into the living area and plopped down on the couch where a pile of DVD's lay scattered. As she finished drying off her hair, she noticed the titles of the movies they would be watching tonight. She frowned as she read them off; Die Hard, Armageddon and Braveheart. None of them were what she had been expecting. On previous movie nights with Francie, she'd had to endure romcom's or musicals. Action movies were not her usual fare.

Her red-headed friend meandered into the living room, holding a bag of chips and a large pizza box. She was dressed in fluffy bunny pyjamas and had her fiery hair in pigtails. Rory couldn't help but smile at her friend. She sat down beside Rory and pulled a fresh blanket over them as she started the first movie.

"Chip?" she offered with an innocent smile in return. Rory couldn't resist and so helped herself to a handful and a slice of pizza.

After a few moments of watching Bruce Willis chase Ben Affleck around with a shotgun, Rory turned to Francie, unable to hold back any longer.

"What's with the action movies, Francie?" she asked as she finished her slice. Francie just shrugged, keeping her eyes on the screen.

"I love action movies," she said with feigned excitement. Rory rolled her eyes and reached forward for her coffee.

"No, you don't."

"Well, I didn't think you wanted to watch Kate and Leo fall in love again for the millionth time right now. I figured terrorists, end of the world and bloods and guts were more where your heads at."

Rory giggled at that, surprised at the sound. It was the first time she'd laughed in a long while and she couldn't help but love Francie a little bit more for her consideration. She leaned to the side and placed her head on Francie's shoulder, grateful that she had a friend like her in her life, even though she didn't deserve her.

"I love you, Francie." she whispered. Francie turned and placed a kiss on her forehead.

"Love you too, Rory."

**JHL**

"I'm sorry. I just can't take him seriously as a terrorist. I keep thinking 'Oh there's Professor Snape'," Francie said as she threw a chip at the screen. They were halfway through Die Hard and becoming increasingly eager to watch Harry Potter. Rory snorted but continued watching the movie. Girl's night so far had been a raging success. She hadn't thought about Logan for at least half an hour and the way things had been in the last week that was as much as she could hope for.

"Bruce Willis should give Harry Potter a call. He'll save the day!"

"I don't think Harry Potter was even alive when this movie was made, Francie." Rory nudged the red-head with her elbow as Francie continued stuffing her face.

"So? Life would be so much simpler if we all had a magic wand." Francie smirked mischievously. "Although, I have to say, Finn's wand is pretty magical!"

"Francie!" Rory scolded her friend's dirty mind. "How did we get from talking about poor innocent Harry Potter to your boyfriend's abilities in the sack?"

"Oh don't be such a prude," Francie shook her off and continued grinning, thinking about how magical her boyfriend's wand was exactly.

"I'm not a prude. You're just disturbed." Rory threw a chip at her and got up from her place on the couch. Francie paused the movie as there was a knock at the door. "I'll go make some more coffee."

Rory headed towards the kitchen, while Francie answered the door in her fluffy bunny pyjamas.

Rory stood in the kitchen, dancing from foot to foot as she waited for the coffee. She nibbled on a biscuit with a smile on her face, thinking about how much she missed living the simple life. Her life had been way too complicated for way too long. She missed just hanging out with her friends with nothing hanging over her.

Finally the coffee was ready and she poured both herself and Francie some. She carefully carried both steaming mugs back through to the living room and almost dropped them to the floor when she discovered that their girls night in had been gate crashed. Sitting in her place on the couch, as if by magic, was Finn. On the chair across from him was Colin and on the chair beside the door, just inches from where she was standing; was Logan.

Her mouth fell open in shock at seeing him again. Her stomach flipped and then twisted as her heart thumped in her chest.

"Look who showed up," Francie said as she appeared in front of Rory taking the burning hot coffee cups from her hands. Rory pulled her gaze away from Logan and met Francie's concerned eyes. "Completely uninvited."

"Um…hi," she said nervously. Colin and Finn waved awkwardly. Logan didn't respond. His eyes were burning a hole through Finn, giving Rory the impression that he was perhaps as surprised to see her as she was to see him. Going by the angry look on his face, it wasn't a happy surprise.

"Hey, Gilmore. Nice Jammies!" Finn added, trying to cut through the cloud of tension that had come over the room with their arrival. Rory blushed, remembering what she was wearing and that Logan could see her in her very unattractive pig pyjamas. As she glanced back at him, he wasn't showing any interest in her pyjamas or her at all. She could be standing there completely naked and she was pretty sure he wouldn't turn his head.

"Thanks." Francie gave her a reassuring smile and tugged on her arm, pulling her back to the couch, where she slowly sat back down, although she was completely uncomfortable now. She sat with her back straight, her legs nervously shaking. She was far too aware of her surroundings. Her body was unable to relax in his presence. Francie squeezed her hand and she felt a little less anxious.

"So, I never really pegged you two as Die Hard fans," Colin declared trying to change the subject. It didn't really work. Rory was too nervous to even speak as Logan glowered from the other side of the room, while Francie and Finn were having some kind of non verbal argument in their minds.

They watched the rest of the movie, with Francie, Colin and Finn all making remarks. Logan and Rory stayed silent. Rory couldn't even concentrate on the movie. She had no idea what was going on. All she could focus on was the angry man at the other side of the room, and how many beers he'd had since they'd arrived. At last count it was four. All he seemed to be interested in was his bottle. She stole sneaky looks at him throughout the evening. His brow was furrowed. His eyes looked tired. She was worried about how much he'd been affected by what had happened. She wondered if he missed her at all or if he was just so angry, that he couldn't bear to look at her. She wished she could do something to take away some of his pain and stress.

When _Die Hard _ended, the talking recommenced amongst the others. Logan sat on the chair with his head lolled back and his eyes closed, as if it hurt too much to even look at her. Rory couldn't take her eyes off Logan. She wanted to reach out and touch his hand or brush her fingers through his hair. Just something to lighten his load. He looked like a man with the weight of the world on his shoulders and she hated the fact that she was mostly to blame.

"Let's play '_I Never'_," suggested Finn in his usual loud, obnoxious voice. Rory heard Francie groan but didn't take her eyes away from Logan. He didn't respond, just lowered his head and took a long pull from his beer bottle. His brown eyes flickered to hers and she immediately flinched and looked away. She could feel his eyes on her now and she fought her every instinct not to look back at him. She could feel the intensity of his stare burning through her as Finn tried to explain that '_I Never' _was not just a game for high school kids.

"Okay, I never played '_I Never'_ before," started Francie, glaring at her overenthusiastic boyfriend. Finn and Colin both took a shot before Finn nudged Rory's arm. When she looked up at him, he was offering her a shot glass full of some kind of pink liquid. She hadn't even noticed when the alcohol had started flowing.

Accepting the shot, she glanced at Logan, who was still staring at her, and downed the shot. She couldn't remember what Francie had said but she drank it anyway, hopeful that it might settle her nerves.

"I can't believe I'm a grown woman, playing stupid teenage games," Francie muttered as Logan downed his shot, his eyes were still glued to Rory.

"My turn! My turn!" Finn shouted excitedly waving his hand in the air.

After a few more rounds, the game of _'I Never'_ had quickly become about which sexual position they'd never tried and Finn was getting drunker by the second. Logan hadn't spoken all evening and neither had Rory. She'd stolen tentative looks in his direction, and accepted shot after shot from Finn and was now feeling slightly buzzed, not that her level of alcohol intake had affected her nerves or her confidence. She still couldn't meet his gaze for more than five seconds.

"Okay, Logan it's your turn. There must be something you've never done," Francie said as she re-entered the living room carrying another tray of shots. She had long gotten over the immaturity of the game and was thoroughly enjoying discovering new facts about Finn's sexual preferences.

Rory froze as Francie mentioned his name and waited with bated breath to hear his voice. After a long moment, he finally answered. Her stomach dipped as the anticipation of his words soaked through her body.

Logan lifted his gaze and stared straight at Rory with so much loathing and revulsion in his eyes, it made her feel sick inside.

"I never…had an affair with someone who was married," he stated in a callous voice. His lips lifted in a slight smirk as he noticed Rory squirm in her seat. The atmosphere in the room dropped considerably as everyone waited for Rory's response.

A minute passed as Rory absorbed the full extent of what he was doing. She never thought he would confront her in such a passive aggressive way, but she was more than aware that she was worthy of whatever punishment he wanted to doll out.

Keeping her blue eyes on his, she lifted the shot glass to her lips and poured it down her throat. Silence filled the room, the tension was thick and Rory's heart thumped expediently in her chest as she awaited his next move.

His smirk still in place, he tilted his bottle towards her before taking a pull. Francie sat down beside Rory and gave her leg a reassuring squeeze.

"Um, Rory?" she heard Finn's voice speaking to her and she managed to tear her defeated gaze away from Logan. "It's your turn."

Rory looked from Finn to Francie and then briefly her eyes flittered over Logan, who had gone back to focusing on his beer bottle.

She was going to tell him that she didn't feel like playing. Deep down she felt like running away, but her heart wouldn't let her. There was one question she needed to know the answer to for sure. She needed to know once and for all, how he really felt. If there was still a chance that maybe one day Logan could forgive her or was all hope lost.

Taking a deep breath, her chest tightened and her mouth went dry as she willed the courage to speak.

"I've never been in love."

She stared at Logan as she said the words, desperate for some kind of sign that she hadn't completely ruined everything. There was a shot glass on the table across from Logan, Rory shook with the hope that he wouldn't drink it.

_Please don't take the shot. Please don't take the shot._

Logan sat perfectly still for a few seconds, fuelling her hope that all was not lost between them. She noticed his gaze move from her to the shot glass and back again. He knew what she was asking. A myriad of emotions flitted through his mind as he considered his next move. Any thoughts of forgiveness and love towards her had been clouded over by the amount of alcohol he had consumed tonight. His anger had built up over the course of the evening to the point where he didn't know any other emotion. He couldn't decipher any other feeling in his body, except, his blind rage at what she'd done to him.

And so, with one last look at the woman he'd given his heart to, he lifted the shot glass and downed it in one, knowing that with that drink, her heart would be broken just as much as his was.

**AN: The End…just kidding! I'm not dead! Woohoo! LOL. Sorry it's been six months since I updated this one and about ten years since I updated the rest of my stories. The truth is, I really haven't written anything for such a long time. The writing bug has disappeared and whenever I tried to write something it sucked. You might think that this update sucked but at least it's something. I've had this chapter and the next one half written for ages and I figured that seeing as Christmas is almost upon us, that I'd finish it and give everyone who still reads my stories and anyone who's new to my stories a little treat. I know it's not a happy, fluffy chapter, but sometimes you need to hit rock bottom before the good times come back. **

**I hope all is well with everyone and I wish you all a very merry Christmas. As for the next update, I'm not going to make a promise but I will definitely make more of an effort to get this story finished in the near future. And who knows, maybe even my other ones too. Thanks for reading and I'd love to hear what you have to say and what you think will happen with these two. Love ya!**


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